-XJJ

V^

^^^^^

MY DIAEY IN MEXICO
IN

1867.

a^

HMex
9>\ n

z.^^

MY DIARY
IN

1807,

IN MEXICO

INCLUDINQ THE

LAST DAYS OF THE EMPEROR

MAXIMILIAN
;

"WITH LEAVES

FROM

THE DIARY OP THE PRINCESS SAIiM-SALM,

ETC.

BY FELIX SALM-SALM,
AIDE-DE-CAMP, AND CHIEF OF THE IIOUSBHOLO
GENERAL,
OF HIS LATE MAJESTY THE EMPEUOR MAXIMILIAN
OF MEXICO.
FIllST

IN

TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. L

LONDON:
RICHARD BENTLEY,
|!blbbr

ill

NEW BURLINGTON

orbinarg to ^tr Pajeslg.

1868.

All Sight* Reterved,

STREET,

V.

BiaXLBT AHD

00., rBIKTIBS,

8H0I LAVI,

lUBT

GTRBKT, LOHDOiT.

PREFACE.

In the

codicil to the last Will of

Emperor Maxi-

milian of Mexico occurs the following passage

"

15.

1 will that

the three years of

my

an historical account of
sojourn in Mexico and

the preparatory period shall be written, with

the assistance of those documents which are

kept in England and Miramar.

" I desire that the ex-minister Don Fern.

Ramirez and Prince Filipp de Salm-Salm would

have the kindness to undertake this work."

Although I knew of the fact that my person

was mentioned in several places of the Emperor's
last Will, I only

the witnesses

became certain of

who had

signed

it.

it

by one of

Neither the

contents of that last Will, nor even the dispositions

referring to

municated to

me

my

and I

person, were com-

tried in vain, in Vienna

VI

PREFACE.

and elsewhere, to obtain a copy of it.

At

last I

best to apply for further information

to the First Lord Steward of His Majesty the

thought

it

Emperor of Austria, General Prince Constantin

von Hohenlohe, and to request his highness to
by what means I could get access to
the documents, which I should require to fulfil
indicate

the desire of the

Emperor Maximilian,

as ex-

pressed in his last Will, and of which I had been

informed by chance.

In reply to

my

letter of the

22nd of

July,

1868, I received from the prince the following

letter,

dated July 29th:

YouE

Highness, I

YiENXA, July 29th, 18G8.

beg to reply to youi'

highness' agreeable letter of the 22nd instant,
that His late Majesty the Emperor Maximilian
indeed expressed in his last Will a desire, that
the history of the last years of his government

Mexico might be written by your highness

and the ex-minister Don Fernando Ramirez.

in

As, however, the publication of the last Will

of His late Majesty Qnly took place in the office
of the Lord Steward of the Household, and the
execution of the arrangements in reference to
this last Will belong to the province of the office

of the Lord Marshal, I thought

it

right to send

PREFACE.

your

higliness' letter to tlie

Vll

Lord Marshal, Count

Kuefstein, for further consideration.

At

the same time, I avail myself of this

opportunity to renew to your highness the expression of

my

perfect regard.

HOHENLOHE.
To

his highness Prince Felix de Salm-Sahn, etc.,

Castle Anholt.

P.S.

As

this letter

had been returned by the

post as not to be delivered, I beg to send

to the address of the Counsellor-at-Law
in Bocholt,

who has been named

to

me

it

now

Eump

as your

eral ; and at the same

highness' attorney- gen
time I beg to enclose a copy of the reply, which

I received in the meantime from the Lord-

Marshal, Count Kuefstein.

A. Jmhof,

(By order)
J.

The
is

letter

R. Counsellor at Court.

mentioned in that postscriptum

the following

Vienna, August

4ith,

1868.

In answering your highness' kind note of

the 22nd of July, 1868, I have the honour to
reply

The

assertion

made

in the letter herewith

Vlll

PEETACE,

returned of Prince Salm

is

correct

for 15

of the codicil of his late Majesty Maximilian of

Mexico (which though not signed was ordered

to be published

by

his Majesty the

Emperor,

our most gracious Lord) reads as follows

**
I will that an historical account of the
:

three years^^of

my

sojourn in Mexico, and the

preparatory period shall be written with the

assistance of those documents kept in England

and Miramar.

"I

Don

desire that the ex-minister

Fern.

Kamirez and Prince Filipp de Salm- Salm would

have the kindness to undertake this work."
In consequence of this, the request of Prince
Salm to permit him an insight into the respec-

documents

founded^ but the

granting of this request depends upon the will
of His Majesty; as, according to 29 of the
tive

is

sufficiently

statutes of the Imperial house, no publication

or execution of a last Will can be

the consent of the chief of the

made without

Most

Illustrious

Imperial house. As His Majesty by an autograph note of September 10, 1867, ordered the
publication of the last "Will of his brother, of
" with the omission
of the direction
April 6, 1864,

contained in that last Willi in reference to the

nomination of an execidor of that

last Willf*

IX

PREFACE.
it

is

possible

that

his

Majesty miglit have

some just objection against an inspection of at

least all confidential state documents referring to
the three years regent epoque and the preparatory
It seems therefore doubtless that the
period.

Will of His Majesty in this respect was, by

means, to be ascertained.

But

all

not within the competency of the

Lord Marshal's Office to request it, for the
it is

documents which could be meant in

have never been in the hands of this
are by no

and

means an
the

to this

this case,
office,

and

object for its transactions,

ministry of

this

office

is

Kuefstein.

limited.

To

his highness the I. Eoyal,

Major-General Prince Constantin von Hohenlohe,

First

The

Lord Steward

love alone which

heart for the

memory

peror, would make

it

to the best of

fulfil,

of His Majesty.

of

I preserve

my

unfortunate

a sacred duty for

my

is

stiU increased

my

Emme to

abihty, every desire

expressed by him in his last Will

desire

in

by

my

but his

knowing how

anxious he was to be judged justly by posterity.

This, however, is only possible with the knowledge of
sibly

all

circumstances, which cannot pos-

be acquired so long as certain transactions

ritEFACE.

remain a

and

documents referring to
them are kept by persons wlio have a particular
secret,

interest in

tlie

preventing their publication.

The Emperor held these documents

in very

high estimation, and feeling that his position in

Mexico was rather precarious at the time when

Europe, and when he was

surrounded by traitors, he did not think these

the Empress

documents

them

left for

safe

to the

enough

Empress

in Mexico,

to keep

Europe.
I have no certain
contents

received the

felt

news of the

them

safely in

knowledge about the

how
about them, when he

of these papers

uneasy Maximilian

and confided

but I know

illness of his consort,

and that he asked me most urgently to get

" even revolver
of
if
possession
in

them,

required,

hand," and to write by the use of them, the

history of his government.

In the
tliat

last

Will of the Emperor

it is

stated,

these documents were in England and in

Miramar, but a great personage to whom I

wrote on that subject, answered in reference to
the documents, and especially the correspond-

ence between the Emperor of the French and

" On dit
Marshal Bazaine
aujourd'lmi que
le Pape en est le dcpositaire."
:

PREFACE.
It

most

is

that

likely

XI
different

parts

of

those documents are in England, Miramar, and

Rome

but I had only a certainty about those in

Miramar, for which reason I began to take
;

steps in that direction

be seen from the above

I do not

know

with what success

yet upon what further mea-

sures I shall decide, but I believe I

in

my

may

letters.

hope that His Majesty the

am

justified

Emperor of

Austria will readily support my efforts in vindicating the memory of his brother.

know who

I do not

is

the keeper of the

documents in England. It is said that they

are in the hands of Her Majesty the Queen
but before I have more certain information
;

proper to obtrude on a mere

either His Holiness the Pope, or

I do not think

" on

ditj"

Her Majesty
As soon
to satisfy
I

shall

it

the Queen of England.

as I shall be placed in a position

the

desire

of the

late

Emperor,
enter into communication with Don

Fernando Ramirez, to

fulfil

and as well as I can, the

together with him,

last Will of

our be-

loved late Emperor.

Supposing that it would be desirable to the

Imperial family of Austria to receive as soon as

possible an authentic account of the last months

XU

PREFACE.

of the Emperor, I wrote,

in

when

still

Queretaro, a narrative of them,

warded

in prison

and

for-

the Secretary of State, Baron

To this I did not receive an
Beust, in Vienna.
it

to

answer, and

when

had the honour afterwards

of an audience with His

Majesty the Emperor,
he did not mention
about it either.

anything
a considerable time will elapse
before I shall be in a
position to write the

As probably

history of the government of the

from many sides

intimation that a publication about the

milian,

the

and as

Emperor Maxi-

I have received

occurrences in Queretaro was expected from

me, I resolved to publish such a narrative, with
the assistance of

my

diary.

This would have been done perhaps sooner, if

I had not been detained a prisoner in Mexico
until J!^ovember 13, 1867,

and

after

my arrival

in

Em-ope, had I not had to wait several months

for the arrival of

As
a good

my

effects

to these papers, I

of

many

during the

and papers.

am

sorry to say, that

them have been

occupation of

lost,

partly

Queretaro by the

and partly during

my imprisonment.
I regret especially the loss of those contained in
a small trunk, which I confided to a Liberal
Liberals,

officer

when

was suddenly transferred

fi'om

PEEFACE.

one prison to another.

again, all the papers

sum

of

Xlll

When

I got the trunk

had uisappeared, though a

money had not been touched.

I beg to remind the reader that

means

my

of the last

is
by no
"
intention now to write a
history,"
months of the Mexican Empire, but

only to give a narrative of

it

my personal

expeno other

The

following pages make

than
to be faithful to truth.
pretensions

riences.

Relative to this truthfulness I refer to the

evidence of General and ex- Secretary of War,

Don Severe de Castillo, my esteemed friend and

companion in sorrow, as also to my other

friend and fellow- sufferer. General Escobar, men
of high honour, and held in respect by every
one.
These gentlemen, who for a long time

many

me

cell, gave me
about
of
which I had
explanations
things

lived with

in the

same prison

only an imperfect knowledge, and completed

my narrative of the well-known facts by giving
me authentic details.

In regard to

who played

my judgments about persons

a part in the events which occurred

in the tragedy of Queretaro, I

must say that

they are generally the result of an exchange of

ideas between the late Emperor and myself.

As my

wife took an active part in

many

of

XIV

the

PREFACE.

events related in the following pages, I

requested her to add her narrative with mine.

the

Though more than a year has elapsed since

death of the Emperor Maximilian, and the

mterest of the public in this tragedy

become somewhat weakened

may have
still

anticipated

hope that

me

may have

and though others

in some particulars,
;

this true, simple narrative of

an

eye-witness will not be thought superfluous.

FELIX SALM-SALM.
EORSCHACK, ON THE LaKE OF CoNSTANCE,
September, 1868.

CONTENTS.

TAOK

March

to Queretaro

Occupation of Querhtaro

Siege or Queketaro
Attempi's at Escape

Imprisoxment of the EmpepvOR

Trial of Maximilian

.06

Capture op the City by Treachery

.33

.1

.110

.177

.....

Execution op tee Emperor

208
259

.291'

THE

DIARY OF PEINCE SALI-SALI.

MAUCH TO QUERETARO.
war

North America, I
served the United States from 1861 to the close
of it, j&rst as Colonel and Chief of the General

DcJEiNG

tlie

great

civil

Staff of the

German

mander of a
General and

reofiment,
civil

in

Division, then as

and

com-

later as* Brio^adier-

and military Governor of

J. B. Steedman, com-

North Georgia, under

manding
After

division.

the

war I was recommended by

twenty-six Senators for a position in the U. S.

regular army ; but I never felt at home in that
country, and was liorrified at the idea of living

dreary and idle life in some

beyond the pale of civilization.
a,

little

garrison

had been a

and, having been

educated in the Cadet-house of Berlin, became
soldier

an

from

officer

my

when

early youth

still

very young, and saw active

MARCH TO

QTJERETARO.

was

service in the Holstein war, for wliicli I

decorated, and received besides from the

King

of Prussia a sword of honour, with the words

"
" Fuer
Tapferkeit
engraved on

To speak

my

the truth, I was a soldier with

and war was

soul,

had seen of

it

in

my

all

What

element.

Europe and America served

only to

make me more eager

rience;

and I resolved to

the

it.

to extend

offer

my

my expe-

services to

Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, for whose

person and civihzing task I had always

felt

great sympathy.
As I was not personally known to the Emperor, I had to provide myself with testimonials
in reference to
letters of

sons.

my

military ability,

recommendation from

The former

influential per-

I got with the

readiness from the

and with

most

friendly

President of the United

States and the generals under whom I had made

the campaign ; and letters of recommendation

were given to me by the Prussian minister in

Washington, Baron Gerolt, the French minister.
Marquis de Montholon, and the Austrian minister, Baron de Wydenbruck, who kindly wrote
a letter to the Emperor Maximilian, to be delivered to him oy Count Thun, the Austrian
minister in Mexico.

Thus prepared,
ciently, I embarked

as I imagined, quite suffifor

Mexico from

New

York,

MARCH TO Q.UERETARO.
Febniary

1866, accompanied by Captain

distant relative of mine,

20tli,

Baron von Groeben, a

wlio liad been

aide-de-camp in the U. S.

my

wars.

On my

arrival
Mexico the E.mperor was
but I applied, by letter, for a position
in the army, and was assured
by the Imperial

not there

in

Secretary of the Cabinet, Mr-. Pierron, that the

Emperor was very much

request, but that

"inclined to

grant

my

a^ppointment was delayed

the
efforts
of
Count Thun, who retained
by
even the letter wh^ich he had received for the

my

Whf.n the Prussian minister in

Mexico, Baror, von Magnus, asked him for the
Emperor.

reason of l\is
opposition against me, he an"
swered,
The prince has been recommended as
Prince
could not have been
^jd]ugene of Savoy
:

bette\'

but

it

is

against

my

principles to re-

cor^mend him." To his efforts, and those of

^ji-eneral Count Thun, his relative, who commanded the Austrian corps, it was owing that
no Prussian found a position in that army.

When,

later,

Baron Magnus,

to

was

invited, together

dine with

the

with

Emperor,

Maximilian told the Baron that

many

had been practised to prevent

and that it had been even said

was not Prince

my
I

intrigues

appointment,

Salm, bat an impostor.

The kindness and exertions of the Prussian

MAECH TO QUERETARO.

minister succeeded

at

last,

liowever, in con-

opposition, and on July 1st, 1866,

appointed colonel of the general staff
all

quering

was
and detailed on the

staff of the

French General

who commanded

the so-called auxihar}^

Negri,
division, which consisted of one French brigade,
the Austrian and Belgian corps, and the troops
of the city and the valley of Mexico.
As the princess, my wife, intended to follow

me

to

Mexico as soon

tion in the army, the

bring her

where I

and

fell ill

vas

I should

have a posi-

Emperor gave me leave to

proceeded to Vera Cruz,

with the yellow fever, to which I

nearly became a victim.

The departure of my wife froia New York
had been delayed, and when I was on my way
to the United States I met her in Havi^na, and

returned with her directly to Meidco.

Soon after our arrival one of the ministers

proposed to enter into certain negociations with

the United States' Government about the recognition

of the

Emperor

and as

my

wife

and

were well acquainted with the President, the

senators and members of Congress, we were

ordered to go on this mission. For expenses

that might occur, we should take with us two
millions of dollars, in gold, under the superin-

tendence of the Councillor of State, von Herzfeld

or some other higher officer.

MAECH TO QUERETAEO.
Before this
the

affair

was arranged, however,

news of the

distressing

illness

of the

The Emperor went to OriEmpress

zaba, and the whole business was at last droparrived.

ped, as circumstances materially changed.

An
and
the

idle life

was

utterly disgusting to me,

I heartily desired to see active service in

I requested the Secretary of

field.

me

permit

War

to accompany, as a volunteer,

to

an

expedition of the Belgian corps into the interior.

We

marched over Pachuca to Tulancingo,

where we relieved a detachment of the Austrian

commanded by

corps,

who was
12th,

Lieut. -Colonel Pollack,

to assist Jalappa,

and

at five o'clock a.m.

At

left,

November

eleven o'clock

a.m., the Liberal General

Martinez, with six

thousand men, appeared

already before

Tu-

lancingo.

The

and our troops

consisted only of eight hundred men of the
Belgian corps and eight hundred Mexicans ; and
their

city vfas

not

fortified,

commander. Colonel Van der Smissen, sent

three Indian messengers, with letters hidden in

cigarets, to Lieut. -Colonel Pollack, requesting

him

to return and to assist in attacking the

enemy.

The

lant officers,

gallant colonel consulted his gal-

and they gallantly resolved not to

follow the invitation.

MARCH TO QUEEETAEO.

Too weak

to undertake anything against tbe

besiegers, I took care to fortify the place as well

as circumstances would permit.

Whilst occupied in this manner, I was informed that Colonel Peralta, who commanded
the 6th Mexican regiment of cavalry in the city,
was in communication with the enemy. As my
proofs were not sufficient to convict him, measures were taken to prevent bad consequences.
I had fortified the palace of the bishop and

a church in such a manner as to serve us as a

The Mexican troops were quartered

the palace, and the Belgians in the church,

redoubt.
in

from which

the fortifications of the palace

I had, moreover, laid a mine
could be flanked.
all

under the building by a number of competent

Belgian sergeants, to blow up the whole concern should the Mexicans prove traitors.
The measures taken by us seemed to impress
the enemy,

who

did not dare to attack us, but

who

tried to obtain possession of the city in a

less

dangerous manner.

On December

1st I received, in a myste-

rious manner, a letter from the Liberal Colonel

Brulio C. Picazo, in which I was requested to

come alone and unarmed to the hacienda St.

Nicola
his

el

Grande.

He promised me

word of honour, and

safety

on

that he himself would

also bo there alone without any escort.

The

MARCH TO QUEEETAEO.
time for

appointment was

tlie

eiglit o'clock

the

After having consulted

following morning.
with Colonel Van der Smissen, I resolved to

run the risk of the tempting adventure.

Accordingly, next morning I was on

my way

and armed only with a

pocket. When on arriving

to the hacienda, alone,

small revolver in

my

at the hacienda, I was rather surprised to meet

there two videttes ; but, passing them without

any sign of

me

distrust, they saluted

respect-

fully.

Colonel Picazo was

a ver}^ well-educated

gentleman, who spoke several languages fluently,

and

had

He

world.

manners

the

assured

Emperor was

me

of

man

of the

that the cause of the

a lost one, and, moreover, sketched

the whole state of affairs in a manner which

was not flattering, but unfortunately was true.

Then he endeavoured to induce me to persuade
Colonel

Van der Smissen

in v,rhich case

to surrender the place,

he would pay

me twenty thousand

piasters.

As

knew

that such an offer

common

is

thought a

occurrence in Mexico,

and

that no off'ence was intended, I contented

my-

matter of

with simply declining his proposal, on which

the colonel told me that if we did not surrender

self

within

five days,

thousand men.

we should be attacked with ten

I answered that we should be

MAECH TO QUEEETAEO.

The whole affair was

liappy to receive them.
discussed over a cigar and a glass of brandy.
When leaving, the colonel accompanied me
to the yard,

shook hands with me, and I

turned to the

had seen

re-

city, glad to escape thus, as I

in the hacienda a

detachment of thirty

horse.

We

had, however, no opportunity of showour

ing
courage on this occasion; for at the
close of December we received the order from

Marshal Bazaine to surrender Tulancingo to

General Martinez.

The chief of the staff of this general, Colonel

Cruz, came on the 27th under a flag of truce,
to arrange about the surrender.
I saw in his
hand the same order which we had received,
and signed, in the name of Bazaine, by Colonel
Bover, chief of staff of the French expeditionary
army. Colonel Cruz made no secret of it, that

they had been on the best understanding with

the French, and that as to this retreat, they
kept purposely out of the way.

The troops of General Martinez advanced

the same evening close to our works.

We
chief,

were

of the

also informed that a noted guerilla

name

of Carebajal, had ai'rived

with a band of eight hundred men, from Uacinango, and Colonel Van der Smissen gave orders
that no officer or

man

should go outside the

MARCH TO QUEEETAEO.
barricades.
corps,

who

friend

Captain Timerance, of the Belgian

"
wished to say " good-bye to a lady

outside,

passed the barricades at ten

p.m., was attacked and wounded by

On
Carebajal's guerillas and taken prisoner.
o'clock

being requested to send back the officer, Carebajal answered that he would do so if we would,
first let

him enter the

city

but Van der Smissen

to keep the disobedient captain, who

was, however, released later, at the request of

told

him

the Spanish consul, and sent to Mexico.

At seven o'clock in the evening Colonel
Peralta, previously mentioned, appeared at the

lodging of Colonel Van der Smissen, for orders

in reference to the marching next morning.
His unusually nervous manner was noticed by

everyone present, and when he left, Colonel Van

der Smissen said to me " You will see that he
:

will

go over to the enemy

but I shall be pre-

pared for it."

Peralta had been ordered to form with his
cavalry the advance guard, and one company of
the Belgian corps was now ordered to follow

him

captain was instructed to

as soon as they should
the
Mexicans
upon
attempt to go over to the enemy.
closely,

and

its

fire

At

six o'clock next morning the Belgian

and
the Mexican infantry, under Colonel
corps
Campos, a true and reliable officer, stood ready

10

MARCH TO QUEEETARO.

when we suddenly saw

coming, in full gallop, with drawn sword, First
Lieutenant Goslich, the only German officer

in

the market-place,

Colonel
serving in the 6th Mexican cavalry.
Peralta, who had ordered his regiment to be

ready at four o'clock a.m., requested Lieutenant

Goslich to come to his side, and he then in-

formed him that he intended to go over with

his regiment to the Liberals, and that he might
consider himself a prisoner.
The lieutenant
was silent, as he could do nothing ; but when
after a time the colonel

some other

officer,

turned aside to speak to

he drew his sword, set spurs

to his horse, and, brandishing his blade over his

head, succeeded in passing unharmed through

the whole regiment, and arrived safely in the

market-place.
Peralta was,

who

deserted

however, not the only cur

another far more valuable dog,

Jimmy, the pet of my wife,

wife had accompanied me in

was missing.

My

my campaigns
North America, and frequently shared my
tent for months. She had joined me in Mexico,
all

in

and of course her Jimmy also, as ho had never

left her during the whole war in America.
But
instead of becoming used to warlike noise, he
had brought home from it the most intense

aversion against any sound resembling gunWhen he, therefore, arrived

shots or drums.

MAECH TO QUEEETARO.
at the market-place,

11

and heard the drums and

saw so many shooting engines, he popped

off to

our old quarters at the Spanish vice-consul's,

Mr. Gayon, and no servant being thought

worthy to touch his precious

insisted on my going myself.

skin,

my

tyrant

When I the rather long-legged favourite

under my arm stepped out of the house, I was

not very agreeably surprised on seeing before

me an officer of the enemy with five men, who,
according to agreement, ought to have entered

moment when we
However, nothing happened; the men

the city only at the

left it.

of the

and I joined my troops.

Half an hour after we left Tulancingo our
rearguard was attacked by Carebajal's robbers,

enemy

who

saluted,

retired,

however, after having lost a few

dead.

In Tulancingo the Belgian corps had already

received the order by wliich it was disbanded,
and at the same time the offer of Marshal
Bazaine to provide for the passage of the
to Europe, which

of

them.

which

is

men

was gladly accepted by most

to Buena Yista,

When we came
on the road

between

Puebla and

Mexico, orders came to stop there until further

notice.

On

the evening of January 2nd, 1867, we

were informed that the Emperor would pass

12

MAECn TO QUERETARO.

the place on his

way from Orizaba to Mexico,

next morning, and we were of course ready to
receive him.

The Emperor drove

in a Hfctle carriage with

white mules, and was accompanied by

an escort of the lancers and hussars of the

four

Austrian corps, which was going to be disbanded in Mexico, and also by a detachment of

With the Em-

French Zouaves on horseback.

peror were General Marquez and his staff,

Colonel Schaffer, Colonel Lamadrid, Captain
" ElisaVon
of the Austrian
Groller,

beth,"

Father

frigate

Fischer, and Dr. Basch,

his

physician.

General

Don Leonardo Marquez

is

little,

lively man, with black hair and black, keen eyes.

He wears a full beard, to hide a disfiguring

scar on his cheek from a bullet-wound.

His

atrocious cruelty has won for him the name of

"Alva of Mexico," which he richly de-

the

serves.

party,
priests.

As
he

an

old

chief

of

the

was very intimate with

Though an extremely brave

Church
all

the

soldier,

he was but a very indifferent general, as he

had no idea whatever of strategical movements. His most valuable talent was that of
organizing troops.
Colonel Lamadrid, a very able and amiable
officer, who commanded a regiment of Cazadores

MARCH TO QUERETAEO.

13

a caballo, was killed a week later on an expedition to Cuernavaca.

Colonel Schaffer had served formerly in tlie
Austrian navy, under the Emperor, when still
high admiral, and was very intimate with him.

He was

always near him.

Father Augustine Fischer

is

tall,

portly

gentleman, very intelligent, and just as ambiHe had been appointed only a few days
tious.

"

"

Cabinet-Secretary

ago

was

About

in citizen dress.

queer reports were

of the Emperor, and

his morals very

in circulation,

and

it

was

known

that he, though a priest, had many

children in different parts of the country.
When the Emperor, after the news of the

well

state

distressing

of

the Empress,

went

to

Orizaba, and the French and Americans ex-

moment

his abdication,

Marquez,
Miramon, and Father Fischer, followed him to
that place, and succeeded in persuading him to
pected every

stay.

Marquez and Miramon promised that the

Church party would assist him sufl&ciently with
troops and money, if he would only rely entirely

upon

his

free with their

Mexican

subjects,

and were very

word of honour.

The Emperor knew very

well the unreliable

character of such promises, and would, perhaps,

not have been induced by them to stay, had not

MAECH TO QUEEETAEO.

14

Father Fischer,

who

well

knew

his noble

and

self-sacrificing character, painted in the darkest

colours the

future

condition of his friends in

Mexico, after his departure from the country.

The Emperor therefore resolved not to
abdicate, to the great consternation of Marshal
Bazaine and Greneral Castleneau, who were sent

on a special mission by Napoleon III., as it

prevented their whole scheme of arranging
the Liberal Government, under
affairs with
General Ortega.
Father Fischer perhaps meant well to the
Emperor, but the interests of the Roman

Church ranked first in his estimation.

Dr. S. Basch is a little, very intelligent,
modest gentleman, and excellent physician, and

was very devoted to his master. Later, in

Queretaro, he was made also chief physician of
all the hospitals, and sacrified himself day and
night to his onerous duty.
In the evening the Imperial headquarters
were at Ayotla, about fourteen leagues from

Mexico.

I rode over thither,

and

after

having
an
Father
audience,
Fischer,
requested, tLrough
I received authorization from the Emperor to
regiment of cavalry, with European
volunteers from the Belgian legion and others.
raise

On

the 6th of January the Belgian legion

marched over Rio

Frio,

Puentes Esmalucan,

15

MAECH TO QUEEETAEO.

and San Martin to Puebla, where they gave up

their rifled battery and their excellent muskets
to the French General Douai.

when

astonished

arms

was very much

I found later these identical

hands of the troops of the Liberal

General Porfirio Diaz
in the

The Belgian

legion

now marched

Yera

to

they embarked for Europe on

1867.
January 20th,
I had accompanied the legion to Puebla, in
Cruz, where

the hope of winning some recruits for my new

regiments. In this undertaking I was, however,

hindered

much by

very

circular

of

Mr.

Hooricks, secretary of the Belgian legation, in

which the Belgians were warned against at-

tempts to persuade them to remain in Mexico,

the Government at home requiring their services.

was published by the

Austrian charge d'affaires, Baron Lago, and
similar

many Austrian

paper

officers

also did all they could

countrymen from enlisting.

Seeing that it was impossible for me to raise
a regiment, I returned to Mexico, and requested

to prevent their

the Emperor, through Father Fischer, to employ

me somewhere

else in active service.

priest promised.

and he continued

The

oily

went every day to see him,

his promises,

but

my

affairs

make any progress at all.

Count Khevenhiiller, and Baron Hammer-

did not

16

MAECH TO QUERETARO.

two very brave Austrians, succeeded better

Under great difficulties the
count organized a regiment of hussars, and
stein,

in raising troops.

the baron a battahon of four or five hundred

men.

At

last

came the 5th of February, the day

free Mexico from its tyrannical
the French.
It was one of those

which was to
liberators,

and bright Mexican mornings

all the
in
in
was
the
and
a
streets,
population
pleasant
excitement.
The departure of the French was
a happy event for everybody, for they had made
clear

themselves hated by all parties. I need not

speak about the behaviour of Marshal Bazaine,
has been appreciated in many publications.
He may have acted according to his instrucit

tions,

but

peculiar

if

not only in his own

manner, but ])robably over-

so he did

brutal

it

stepped them in many things, as it suited his

boundless and rapacious ambition.
The French officers imitated the marshal, and
their arrogance

and covetousness were

intoler-

This Mexican expedition was for them

merely an agreeable change, and was preferable
It was also
to a dreary garrison life in France.
able.

a good opportunity of enriching themselves ;

they did not care a straw either for Maximilian
or the alleged humanizing or civilizing intentions of their Emperor.
They despised the

MARCH TO QUERETARO.

17

Mexicans with French arrogance, and insulted

the inhabitants of the city every day.
Gentlemen on the side walks who did not get out of
their

enough, were kicked from it in the

and ladies who ventured to go out were

way

street

fast

insulted by their low importunity.

of the Imperial Mexican

citizen's dress, as

army

French

The

officers

preferred to

officers

and

go in

soldiers

did not return their saUite.

Early in the morning already the numerous

balconies of Mexico were filled with black-eyed
ladies, the reho^-o

head and

left

thrown coquettishly over the

shoulder.

stood with

my

wife

on the balcony of the hotel Iturbide, in the

and beside us were Count and

calle Francisco,

Countess Seguier and several ladies of French

The French marched at nine o'clock
officers.
*

a.m., past the

Alameda, through the

calle

San

Francisco and calle Plateros, over the Plaza de

Arm OS,

passed the Iruperial palace, and left by

the Garita San Antonio. At their head marched

Marshal Bazaine, followed by a brilliant staff:

no friendly word, no farewell, greeted the hated
oppressors ; the people saw them pass in silence,
and the beautiful women looked down from the
balconies on the fine and coquettishly turning
The Emofficers with a contemptuous smile.

peror did not go to the window when they

passed, but he could not forbear looking from

18

MAECH TO QUEEETARO.

beliind

the

curtain

treacherous

When

on

tlie

soldiers

of

his

ally.

passed our hotel the

French ladies waved their handkerchiefs and
went into ecstacies. " What a brilliant
the

troops

army

may be

with such soldiers the world

And

that they will do.

to la helle France,

Berlin and take

conquered.

Let them only return

and they

will

march against

a la hayonef !" I did not

regard their talk, but only wished to be in
Berlin to meet them there.

The

citadel

it

was evacuated only a day

later,

for the garrison required time to destroy forty

Six rifled
guns, together with the ammunition.
guns and four thousand shells were carefully

buried that the Liberals might dig them up

This purpose was, howagain at a later period.
ever, betrayed,

and they

fell

into the hands of

I am able to affirm that

the Imperialists.
Bazaine offered General Porfirio Diaz to deliver

Mexico into

his hands, as the general told

himself in November;
clined,

me

so

but Porfirio Diaz de-

adding that he hoped to be able to take

the city himself.

The day

people of Mexico were

frightened again by the appearance of many
French soldiers in the streets.
They were,
after, the

however, only deserters from the French army.

In this manner the marshal lost on his way to

MARCH TO QUEEETAEO.

Yera Cruz not

less

who belonged

for

liegion etranger.

tlian

the

six

19

thousand men,

greater part to

the

The marshal claimed them,

but General Marquez answered that he might

come and

As

fetch

them

himself.

was the urgent

desire of

Napoleon to
induce the Emperor Maximilian to abdicate and
it

to return to Europe, the marshal did all he

could to compel him to do so by assisting the

He

dehvered to them not only many

and arms, but placed as many impedi-

Liberals.
cities

ments as possible in the way of organizing a new

army, in which he was aided by the Austrian and
Belgian ministers.

Thus the Emperor was,

arter the departure

of the French, in a ^ery precarious position ; but

Marquez did all he could to make good his word,
at least, so far as to exert himself to the utmost
in organizing

new

troops, whilst Father Fischer

poured soothing words into Maximilian's

ear,

and the cabinet promised golden impossibilities.

About the plans of the Emperor nothing

was known, but on the evening of the 12th of

February, a report ran through Mexico that he
would place himself at the head of all disposable
troops, and leave Mexico next morning, to join
in Queretaro, where also the Generals

Miramon
Castillo

With

Mendez were expected to be.

combined troops it was his purpose

and

their

20

MAECn TO QUEEETAEO.

to endeavour to prevent the concentration of

tlie
enemy in the north, and its advance against

Mexico.

As soon

went to see
Baron Magnus, who confirmed the report, and
I asked him to support my request to be peras I heard of

it,

mitted to accompany the Emperor. He was

ready to do so, but he did not succeed. My
request was refused, as the

Emperor had pro-

mised to leave. all foreigners behind, and to rely

exclusively on his Mexican subjects.
Marquez

and

his

comrades feared the influence of the

Germans on the Emperor, and perhaps still

more their superior knowledge in the science of
war.

When

was awakened on the following

the
well-known noise in the streets
morning by
preceding the marching of troops, I went out,
I

and soon became convinced that

had been indeed

rifled battery

left

foreigners

the only

which the army possessed.

The Emperor joined

his troops outside the

garita at six o'clock a.m.,

march

all

behind even

to Queretaro.

On

and commenced his

his

way

to the next

halting-place (Feb. 13th, 1867) he was attacked

by the guerilla bands of Forgoza, who were,

however, soon beaten off".

It seemed to me against nature that I should
not accompany the Emperor on his expedition.

MARCH TO QUERETARO.

21

and I was very unhappy.

As early as was
convenient, I went again to see Baron Magnus,
hoping to find some

consolation.

On

this

occasion I was not disappointed.

The minister
told me that General Don Saniago Vidaurri

was

to join tlie

Emperor

at his first halting-

place (Quicliclan), and that he would, perhaps,

consent to take me with him. I thereupon

hastened to see the general,

attach

me

to his

staff",

if

who promised

to

I could procure an

authorization to that purpose fi:om the Secretary of War.

With

that

answer I returned to

Baron

Magnus, who ordered his carriage to drive me

to the secretary.
But the coachman unluckily

managed to run a wheel against a corner post,

and in some manner or other the pole broke.

We

did not pay any attention to this bad omen,

The Secretary
of War gave the required order with more
readiness than we expected, and by one o'clock

but continued our

way on

foot.

p.m., I reported myself at the quarters of the

general.

General

Don Saniago

Vidaurri was a

tall,

lank man, of about sixty, who did not look in

the least like a Mexican, but resembled, both in

and manners, a North

my opinion, the most re-

his external appearance

He was, in
markable man in all Mexico, Juarez not excepted.

American.

22

MAECU TO QUERETAliO.

For years he had been one of the principal

c])iefs of the Liberal
party, and had frequently
fought against Marquez and Miramon. He was
then governor of the State of Nueva Leon, and
the order of this State was the wonder of

Mexico.

all

The mails went

regularly there, and

could be sent safely by them with-

even money
out a7i escort.

General Vidaurri was disgusted with the

anarchical state of Mexico, of which he did not

He

see the probability of an end.

had, more-

and profavour of the Emperor Maxi-

over, personal difficulties with Juarez,

nounced himself

in

whom

he expected, what appeared to

him the most essential thing, the restoration of
milian, of

a regular government.

As he was

a very prominent and very popular man, his going over

to the Imperial party had a great influence on
the inhabitants of his State, and
able

men and

officers followed

many respectAs he did

him.

not pronounce at all for the Church party, but

always remained a Liberal, the party of Marquez
distrusted him, perhaps, and kept him away
from the Emperor.
man, however, of his

influence and

talent could

not be neglected;

and a few days before the Emperor left, he sent

for Vidaurri.
He was to accompany the Emgo thence to the
north, where he was so well and favourably
l^eror to Querctaro, in order to

MARCH TO QUERETAEO.

28

known, there to organize the states pohtically

and military, for which task a better fitted man
could not be found anywhere.
The general was also a very good man, and
especially kind and amiable towards me, which
created at

some jealousy amongst

first

his fol-

An
lowers, who looked on me with coldness.
exception should be made by me in favour of
a stout German captain, of the name of Willmann, who had been more than twenty years
the aide, or rather the "maid of all work," of
the general.

saw him even black

his boots.

He had

been originally a watchmaker, and was,

I imagine, a Suabian
the broken German in
:

which he conversed with

me

had, at least, a

very strong Suabian twang. He was a very

good, little, nervous fellow, who did all he could

The son

to assist and serve me.

of the general,

Don

Ignatio Vidaurri, myself, and the

factotum-captain, were always with the general.

Colonel

The general was

tachment

of

the

to be escorted

hussars

of

by a de-

Khevenhiiller,

commanded by Captain Echegaray, and

the Lieu-

tenants Pawlowski and Koehlig ; and by a

detachment of Cavalleros des los Fronteros, for

the most part

the north.

We were

men who

followed Vidaurri from

to leave Mexico at one o'clock p.m.?

but our march was delayed until five o'clock, as

24

MAECH TO QUEEETAKO.

the Secretary of War could not make up liis

mind to part with the money which Vidaurri

was

to take to the

had to be sent

for

Emperor.

At

it.

Aide after aide

last it

came

at half-

past four.

To persuade
nisters had been

the

Emperor to stay, the mimore extravagant with

still

their promises than even Marquez, Miramon,

and Father Fischer.
They promised golden

mountains, and laid before the Emperor

ficti-

which dazzled him,

and which he believed to be true, as he was no

tious financial statements,

However, all the money the

great financier.
ministers could furnish the Kmperor for his
campaign were 50,000 miserable pesos
General Vidaurri drove
garita,

where he mounted

in

a carriage to the

his horse.

He was

received by the great crowd in the streets with

loud acclamations, which showed the popularity

On our march we
of this distinguished man.
were also attacked by the guerillas, but the
hussars drove them off sabre in hand.

When we
we found

all

arrived past midnight at Quicliclan

quarters occupied by the troops of

the Emperor, and all provisions eaten by them.

I encamped with the two German officers of

hussars in the yard of a large hacienda, and we

were compelled to be satisfied with a supper of
" crackers" and cold water.

MARCH TO QUEflETAEO.

At

25

o'clock

the following morning tHe

troops were ready for the march. When General
Vidaurri saw me, he scolded me in a friendly
six

way because I had not shared his

I

had not done

for fear of

quarters, which

importuning him.

The Emperor was received by the troops

with great enthusiasm. He mounted a very fine
piebald horse, with Mexican saddle and bridle,

wore the general's coat without epaulets, dark

trousers, and over them boots reaching up to
his knees, and a large Mexican sombrero.
He
was armed with a sabre, and two revolvers
attached to the saddle.

hand a

single,

gave me

He

held always in his

very simple field-glass (which he

later as a keepsake),

through which
he scanned the country before him very frequently.

As the Emperor rode along the line, General

Vidaurri and myself stood on the right
wing.
On his coming near us he gave his hand to
Vidaurri, and on

exclaimed,

"

seeing

Zounds

me

he smiled,

how

Salm,

did you

and

come

here ?"

" Your
Majesty would not take me with
you," I answered; "and as I would not remain
idle in

Mexico, I requested General Vidaurri to

with him."
" You
The Emperor observed
know the
reasons why I refused your request ; however, I

take

me

MAKCH TO QUEEETAEO.

26

am

veiy glad to see you liere." "Witli tliat he

shook hands with me in a very friendly way, and

rode on.
led us first to Tepeji, and for
the first time I had an opportunity of admiring

Our march

a Mexican order of marching. The intervals

between the difi'erent troops were very great,

and made

still

greater by their very heavy and

extremely badly-teamed
it

to stop every

artillery,

moment.

which com-

Had we had

pelled
before us an European enemy, this circumstance
might have become fatal, and the more so, as

our flanks were not even protected in any other

manner than by an army of women and children,

who

follow every

are escorted by

Mexican army, and who, again,

n,n

army of very

ugly, cowardly

curs.

How

such a Mexican army is may

be gathered from the circumstance that the
reliable

soldiers are all

day very carefully guarded by

and are always locked up in haciendas during the night, to prevent them from

their officers,

running away.

The Emperor was accompanied by General

Marquez, his quartermaster-general, with his
personal staff, which consisted of people with-

The only exception

was Major William von Montlong, who served
out any capacity or ability.

formerly in the Austrian corps, and became the

27

^[AL'CH TO QUEliETAKO.

cabinet-officer of tlie

Emperor, and had to act

as assistant to tbe cabinet-secretary.

The

chief of the staff of General

Marquez

was Major Waldemar von Becker, formerly a

Russian officer, whom Marquez had met somewhere in Europe, and who had been in the
Spanish service and in the war in Morocco. He
was an asfreeable and intelliofent man, but of his

The
military talents very little can be said.
Mexican officers on the staff of Marquez are not
even worth mentioning.
With General Marquez was also Colonel

Don
resume
who
went
to
to
Queretaro
Miguel Lopez,
the command of his regiment of the Empress,

which had been transferred to that

city.

Lopez, who by his black treason has given

his infamous name to -the pillory for all time, is

portly man, of some thirty years of age,

does not look like a Mexican. Hie, round

tall,

who
head

is

covered with

fair hair,

rather thin in the

middle, and arranged so as to cover

deficiencies

by the aid of long side hair ; his moustaches

and short royal are also fair. He looked very
well in his red hussar jacket,

trimmed with

black, and the more so, as

gentlemanly and elegant.

manners were

his

Besides

wearing
Mexican orders, he was decorated with
the officer's cross of the Legion of Honour.
He was always extremely well mounted with
several

28

MARCH TO QUEEETARO.

American

horses,

and

his

whole appearance made

a favourable impression.

The Emperor was also accompanied by a

member of his cabinet, Don Garcia Aguirre,

He is an aristocratic
Secretary of the Interior.
honest
looking, excellent,
gentleman, and was a
staunch and faithful servant of the Emperor.

He was very religious, and when later

with me he always officiated at mass.
The

in prison

Emperor were Colonel

aides of the

Don Pedro Ormachea,

Ormachea of

a nephew of the Bishop

Tulancingo, and Lieut, -Colonel

Don Augustin

Pradillo.
The military chaplain
of the headquarters was Luis G. Aguere; physician of the Emperor, Dr. S. Basch; and

private

secretary, Mr.

these gentlemen the

Luis Blasio.

Besides

EmperoV had with him an

Hungarian cook and four Mexican servants.

It had been stated, that the troops accompanying the Emperor would amount to ten thousand men and I was very much disappointed
;

on observing that he had only one thousand six

hundred men, and eighteen smooth-bored guns
This little army was composed of detach!

ments of eleven

The

best troops
amongst them were the municipal guards of the
city and the valley of Mexico, on foot and on
horseback ; the Espladores of the valley of
different corps.

Mexico, and the small detachment of the regi-

MARCH TO QUEEETAEO.

29

ment

All tlie municipal guards

Khevenliiiller.
were commanded by Colonel Don Antonio Diaz,
and those on foot under Lieut. -Colonel Don Jua-

quin Rodriguez, the bravest soldier I ever saw.

The Espladores were commanded by a Spaniard,
These and
Captain Don Antonio Gonzales.
the municipal guards formed, during the whole
march to Queretaro, our advanced guard, and

with them were always the Emperor and General

Marquez. Half the troops were raw Mexican
recruits,

more

inclined

to earn their

pay by

running away than by fighting.

On the 14th of February we marched to
Tepeji del Rio, and on the

5th to San Francisco

Zoyaniquilpam, and from thence, on the 16th, to

Arroyo Zarco. At seven o'clock in the morning,
half a league from the village of

San Miguel Cal-

pulalpam, we came upon the outposts of the

enemy, who soon retired to a defile on the other
side of the village

a very strong position, which

could not have been forced by us, if it had been
;

defended by a better enemy.

Our troops now halted, under the usual precautions, in the village for breakfast, and after
an hour's repose the Emperor placed himself at

our head, and led us to the attack.

After some lively skirmishing the municipal
guard, on foot, under the brave Rodriguez, ad-

vanced to take the heights to the right of the

30

MAECH TO QUERETAEO.

gorge,

wliilst

oui'

d.gainst a conical hill

not

Though

on

otherwise

attack

fired

artillery

its left,

shells

which we could

want

for

with

of

trocps.

checked the enemy

did not prevent him from firing

this

artillery fire

somewhat, it
into our attacking

forces, inflicting

some

losses

on them.
Rodriguez, however, carried the heights and
the defile after a sharp fight of about an hour's
duration.

The Emperor was always

.

in the middle of

the fight, and distinguished liimself by his coolI was close to his Majesty when 1 heard
ness.

some one blubbering. I looked round, and saw

that it came from the poor Hungarian cook. A
spent ball from the height passed through his
upper lip, and knocked out some of his teeth.

They must have been strong

teeth, for the bullet

remained in the mouth, and the cook, who did

not like the taste of lead, spit

with his ivories.

By

it

out together

this his tasting faculties

some time.
When we had passed the conquered

were spoiled

for

we were attacked on our left

who appeared on the plains.

defile,

flank

by guer.'Uas,
The detachment

of the Espladores and another of the

ninth

cavalry, under

Major Malburg, advanced to drive

them

I joined the attack.

ofi*,

and

enemy whom

One of the

pursued jumped over a stono

MAECH TO QUEEETAEO.
wall,

and tumbled down

other side.

witli

liis

31
horse on the

I cleared the fence immediately after

him to take him prisoner, but he got up and

aimed his carbine at me, at three paces' distance.
I had just time to fire, and sent a bullet through
which entered over his right eye.
Though he fell dead on his face, the soldiers that
followed me ran their lances and bullets through
his

head,

his body, according to the

bad Mexican fashion.

The enemy now retired, and did not molest

us again on our march to Queretaro. We had
captured a number of prisoners, whom General
Marquez would have shot immediately, but the

Emperor forbade this. Report, however, said

that Marquez despatched them secretly during
the night, and it would have been just like him.
Next morning, at six o'clock, we marched
from Arroyo Zarco to San Juan del Rio, and
from thence to Colorado,
leagues from Queretaro.

which

is

only four

During the march the Emperor ordered

frequently to his side, and conversed with
for hours.

He

me
me

spoke about the general position

hopes and expectations, and made

some confidential communications to me.
of affairs, his

During these hours passed at the side of the

Emperor I had a good opportunity of observing
Marquez, who generally rode alone by himself,
absorbed in thought, which could not have been

MARCH TO QUERETAEO.

32

of a very pleasant or innocent character, as his

face wore a rather sinister expression.

When

the

Emperor wanted

to speak to him,

Marquez generally heard only at the second or

third call, and was then like one awakened from
His face changed at once to a disand he apagreeable, exaggerated friendliness,
proached the Emperor hke a fawning dog.
a dream.

OCCUPATION OF QUERETARO.

We

Queretaro on the 19fcli of

had
February, at ten o'clock a.m. This city
been always very friendly to the cause of the
arrived before

Emperor, and the news of his

amongst
ment.
out to

its

arrival

produced

inhabitants a very agreeable excite-

Young and old, men and women, came

meet him on the Cuesta China, a rather

high hill south of the city, and about 800 metres

from the toll-house of the Garita de Mejico.

The Emperor and

his little

army were greeted

with a heartfelt enthusiasm by the people.

The garrison was marched up between the
Cuesta China and the garita, and at their head
were the Generals Miramon, Escobar, the Prefect

of

the

City, Mejia, Castillo, Arellano,

Valdez, Casanova, and a great number of other
ofl&cers.
Miramon and Escobar greeted the

Emperor with an appropriate speech, and he

replied in the same manner.
This over, the Emperor entered the city,
which was decked out with flags and otherwise,

and rode to the Casino, where he took up his

TOL.

I.

34

OCCUPATION OF QUEEETARO.

On

entering tlaat place Lis horse

stumbled, which has been considered since olden

quarters.

times as a bad omen, but nobody noticed

in the joyful excitement of that hour.

The Emperor soon

it

much

after received the higher

clergy and the authorities

of the

city,

and a

were presented to him. He

then proceeded on foot to the cathedral, where a
solemn Te Deum was celebrated.

number of

officers

Before continuing my narrative, I think it

may be well to say a few words about the per-

who met

sonages

the

Emperor

here,

and who

were to play an important part in the following

tragedy.

Don Miguel Miramon was

the most impor-

tant amongst them. As I have said before, he

had been one of the most prominent chiefs of
the Church party, and even President of the

Republic in his twenty-fifth year. He was now

a handsome man of about thirty-four or five, of

middling height, elegant in figure and manner,

and with dark hair, moustaches, and royal. He

was a man of great intellect, extremely ambitious, very brave and daring, but no scientific
general,

and rather an

From

indifferent strategist.

Orizaba, where he with

Marquez and

Father Fischer, induced the Emperor to stay, he

in the middle of December, 1866, to

went

Mexico, collected in hasto from four to

five

hun-

35

OCCUPATION OF QTJERETARO.

dred merij and with these and a battery he

marched towards the northern State of Zaca-

enemy from concentraand to advance with them

tecas, to prevent the

ting their troops,

over Queretaro to Mexico,

Don

General

Severo

orders from

him

del

as

they intended.

Castillo

move

had

re-

same
direction, and to co-operate with him; and
Greneral Don Thomas Mejia, who had been

ceived

to

in the

compelled to give np San Luis Potosi, was

also on his march towards Queretaro.

The capital of the State of Zacatecas, of the

same name, was then the seat of the Repubhcan
Government, and Juarez himself was in the city.
This opportunity was too tempting for the bold
young general, who had increased his forces by
some troops which he had taken with him when
passing Queretaro, and by recruiting on his
march; and he resolved on a cou]^ de main
without waiting for the forces of Castillo,

were

still

at

some

who

distance.

The bold plan succeeded admirably. The

enemy in Zacatecas was most completely surand utterly routed. A great many prisoners, twenty guns, and a number of important
papers and documents, belonging to the Eepub-

prised,

lican

Government, were the

fruit of this brilliant

Juarez was nearly taken prisoner, and

escaped in a carriage. It must have been ex-

victory.

36

OCCUPATION OP QUERETAEO.

pected that they would capture him, as the Emperor had sent Miramon a strict written order,

he should take him prisoner,

in the most friendly manner, and to send him to

to treat Juarez,

if

Mexico.

The Imperial gendarmes, who were for the

most part Frenchmen, committed some excesses,
which were severely censured by Miramon whenever he heard of them.

one which

Amongst other

things

infuriated the Liberals very

they tied a rope

much

round the neck of a bust of

Juarez, and dragged

Zacatecas.

it

through the streets of

Before Castillo had come up, the city was

again attacked by a much superior Liberal force,

and Miramon was compelled to evacuate

it

in

haste.

Two

days after this evacuation, when on his

retreat towards Queretaro, and near the ha-

San Jacinto, the troops of Miramon

were attacked in the rear and on both flanks by
The attack
superior forces under Escobedo.
cienda

was so sudden, that he lost his whole artillery

and army, and was glad to escape with a few
officers, who had good and fast horses, to Queretaro, where he joined Mejia and Castillo.
His younger brother. General Don Joaquin
He was
Miramon, was not so fortunate.
Escoseverely wounded, and taken prisoner.

OCCUPATION OF QUERETAEO.

37

bedo dragged him on liis marcli from one place

to another, until a few leagues from San Luis
Here, in the evening, the order was
given to shoot him. As the unhappy man was
unable to walk, he was carried in an arm-chair
Potosi.

to the place of execution, and as

dark, shot a hout portant.

was

really dead,

To

it

was already

see whether he

some matches were

lighted,

which were blown out several times by the

wind. The general moved still, and some

who were

present amused themselves

with firing their revolvers into his body. His
oj6B.cers

head was scattered, and his body pierced by

thirty bullets.

At San

hundred and twentythree Frenchmen were taken also, and amongst

Jacinto, one

them those gendarmes who had insulted the

bust of Juarez. They had been kept for several
days in a place where they had much liberty,
and the light-hearted Frenchmen had no foreboding of the awful doom which awaited them.
One day spirits were distributed amongst them,
and they were told that they were to be taken
to

some other

place, but,

as they

had to pass
eyes were to

through the Liberal army, their

be bandaged. As this is frequently done, they
suspected nothing, and marched blindfolded for
half an hour, when they were permitted to
take

away the bands.

They here found them-

38

OCCUPATION OF QUEEETAEO.

an interior yard of the hacienda San

Jacinto, opposite two battalions of infantry,
and were informed that they were to die by the
selves in

order of the Supreme Government.

awful,

heartrending

scene.

It

Ten

was an

prisoners

were always shot together, the rest looking on.

The bodies, frequently still quivering, were

thrown into a waggon, and with the blood dripping from it, drove past the poor condemned
out of the hacienda, to return immediately for
a fresh load.

This horrible butchery lasted longer than

an hour, as it was interrupted by an incident

which illustrated, still more than even this
bloody execution, the unfeeling cruelty of the
Mexicans. The soldiers did not aim well, and

happened that one of a lot of ten Hippolite

Eolin was his name was left unharmed by the

it

He jumped

away, but was capThis time

tured, and added to the next lot.
he was only slightly wounded, and escaped. He
first volley.

was caught again, his feet were tied, and he

was shot at the shortest distance
All these details I have from a Liberal
!

officer,

who was

has scarcely

its

present at this scene, which

equal in the first French Revo-

lution.

Don Thomas

Mcjia was a little ugly Indian,

remarkably yellow, of about forty-five, with an

39

OCCUPATION OF QUEEETAEO.

enormous mouth, and over it a few black bristles,

representing a moustache. He was a thoroughlyhonest, reliable man, devoted to the Emperor,
a very good general of cavalry, and well known

Before an attack,

for his personal bravery.

was

his habit to take a lance

soldiers,

and rush with

it,

it

from one of his

amongst the

first,

on

the line of the enemy.

Some years ago he took
from
the
Liberals.
On his entering
Queretaro
the city, its last defenders fled to the first story

of the town hall.

Mejia appeared in

fi:'ont

of

it,

head of his cavalry. Lance in hand, he

rode up the steps, and in the large hall made

at the

the Liberals prisoners, and then rode to the

balcony, welcoming with an hurrah his victorious troops.

Don

Severo Castillo

very thin

and

delicate

is

little,

black-haired,

man, and almost

deaf.

In former years he had the misfortune of falling

into the hands of the Liberals, and the rough
treatment he had to undergo destroyed his

They sent him [as a prisoner

de Cab alios, a rocky island in the

health for ever.

to the Isla

live
is

which

nobody can
there more than a year or two.
The place

Pacific,

so unhealthy that

is

so barren, that

it

does not produce any kind

of food, and fresh meat and flour was brought

to the prisoners by fishermen at certain times.
Castillo passed a

whole year alone on this island.

40

OCCUPATION OF QUERETARO.

He had made

liimself a

At

hut of cactus, and slept

he escaped from this horrid

place by the help of a fisherman.
Castillo was an honest, brave, and rehable

on seaweed.

last

friend of the Emperor.

He is a thoroughlyeducated soldier, and his coolness in the midst

of battle

is

Fear

quite admirable.

is

such a

stranger to him, that he even under fire gives

his orders as coolly and composedly as if he

were
is

in his

the

room

best

at

home.

strategist

of

In
all

opinion he
the Mexican

my

generals.

Don Ramirez

Arellano was a very agreeable,

well-educated gentleman, of about thirty years
of age, with a very dark complexion, and a
He is a very good
smart black moustache.
artillery officer,

and became

later chief of all

the artillery in Queretaro.

On the march already in San Juan del Rio,

the Emperor issued an army order, which was

read to all the troops in Queretaro. In this
order he informed the army that he placed
himself at

its

head; that he longed for this

day, in order to fight for the two most holy

causes
independence and restoration of order.

Free from "foreign pressure" and influence,

they might do their best for the honour of the
national flag.

On

the 21st February, the commanders of

41

OCCUPATION OP QUEEETARO.

the different corps were invited to dinner with

the Emperor.
I received, also, an invitation,

my place at the side of Lopez, who

carried on a very lively conversation with his

and had

Majesty, who sat opposite us.

Lopez made
himself very agreeable that day, and no one

who

listened to him,

and observed him, would

man would become

ever have thought that this

the Judas of Queretaro.

On

the 22nd, the Emperor, accompanied by

his generals, rode to the garita of Celaya, to
receive General Mendez,

who was

to arrive from

Michuacan with four thousand men.

Don Ramon Mendez was

Indian, with a rather

handsome

plump
and dark

little,

face

brown
his

hair and beard, who looked very well in

red Mexican hussar jacket.
He wore a

sombrero

Emperor, and was decorated,

besides the Mexican orders, with the officer's
like the

cross of the French Legion of Honour, which,

him in the army, only Mejia, Lopez,

besides

and a General Calvo had.

Mendez was a

very good partisan, very brave,

and

idolized

by- his soldiers, but, unfortunately, inclined to

cruelty.

He was

devoted to the Emperor, but

whom he dis-

a decided enemy of Miramon,

trusted,

and of whom he

said, that

and

his

little

Emperor, but only for himambitious plans an opinion pretty

either for empire or

self

he cared

42

OCCUPATION OF QUEEETARO.

generally entertained, wliicli, however, in the

case of Mendez, might have been strengthened

by some

jealousy.

On the

afternoon of the same day, a review,

commanded by Miramon, of all the troops in

Queretaro, was held, except those of Mendez, who

These troops con-

were tired from their march.

thousand six hundred men, under

those which came with Miramon and

sisted of one

Marquez
Castillo

from Zacatecas

viz.,

the battalions of

the Cazadores del Emperador and Tiradores, the

7th battalion of the line, the balance of the
5th, the

gendarmes, the 8th regiment of cavalry,

the regiment of the Empress (horse), and two

and one mountain battery

about five
thousand men. Thus, our whole force consisted
field

of nine thousand

men and

thirty-nine guns.
After this review, the Emperor distributed
some decorations amongst those soldiers who

had distinguished themselves in a fight at the

Quemada, in which brave Mejia had beaten the
Liberals on his march from St. Luis Potosi.

On

the 23rd of February, a solemn mass

and requiem was held, in memory of the cruelly-

murdered General Miramon, which was attended

by the Emperor, and the army received orders
to

wear mourning

On

for eight days.

the 24th the

in the following

Emperor divided the army

manner The whole of the in:

43

OCCUPATION OF QUEEETAEO.
fantry

consisted
Castillo.

Mejia,

Tliis
commanded by Miramon.
and
Mendez
under
of two divisions
The whole cavalry was commanded by

was

and the

became chief

by Arellano. Marquez
of the general staff, and General
artillery

made deputy of the Secretary of

Finance, and commenced by making in QuereVidaurri was

taro a forced loan of sixty thousand piastres, as

money was now a

positive

necessity.

The

ministers in Mexico had promised heaps of gold,

laid before the Emperor doubtful financial

and

statements.

Instead of the millions which they

had promised in Orizaba, and later, they procured

with the utmost trouble the before-mentioned
thousand pesos for the campaign of Queretaro, and sent from Mexico only once nineteen
fifty

thousand pesos, which lasted a few days only.

On

day a council of war was also held, in

was resolved to send strict orders to
General Tabera, who was left in command of the

which

this

it

send all foreign troops then in Mexico,

together with the required ammunition and
ambulances and one hundred thousand pesos to

capital, to

On the march

already similar orders

had been given, but had been disregarded by the
Queretaro.

ministers.

The troops

to be sent from Mexico were

the hussar regiment of Count Khevenhiiller (all

Austrians), the battalion of Baron von Ham-

44

OCCUPATION OF QTJERETAEO.

mer stein

(also

Imndred men

Austrians), from four to five

strong; the gendarmes of the

guard, under Count Wickenburg ; the Cazadores

a caballo all foreigners under Majors Gerloni

and Czismadai, and

On

also eight rifled guns.

the afternoon of February 25th,

the

troops of Mendez were passed in review. They

were the best Mexican troops in the army of the
Emperor, whom they had served already for
several years, fighting independent
French in the State of Michuacan.
sisted of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd,

of the

one

line,

field

from the

They conand 4th battalions

the 4th and 5th regiments of cavalry,

and one mountain battery.

Before resuming,

few words about the

necessary to say a
of
Queretaro and its
city

it

is

different localities.

Queretaro
after

it,

and

the capital of the State named

situated on the southern side of

is

is

Rio Blanca, which flows from

the east to the west, and, below the city, makes
the little river of

a turn towards the south.

The

city has

between

thousand inhabitants, and forms

not quite a regular quadrangle of two thousand
four hundred metres in length, and one thousand

forty

and

fifty

It is built in a
two hundred metres in width.
be
valley of which the opposite heights may
shot.
mutually reached by cannon

On

the north side of the

little

river

is

the

45

OCCUPATION OP QUEEETAEO.

suburb San Luis, with its gardens ascending up

a hill, about one hundred and fifty metres high,
called Cerro San Gregorio.
Another much
higher

hill,

Cerro San Pablo, runs north from San

Gregorio, in a parallel direction,

from

and

is

divided

by a valley of one thousand to one thousand two hundred metres wide.

it

Behind San Pablo

rises Cerro la Cantara,

and with a sweep in

approaches the Eio Blanca

which runs towards the

east,

a southern direction,
within fifty or one hundred metres above the

city.

end of La Cantara, on the

southern bank of Kio Blanca, and quite close to
Opposite this

range which runs in a southwestern direction, and forms a curve reaching

it,

rises

hilly

to the western end of the city, from which it is

separated by a plain of eight hundred to one

thousand metres
Cerro

el

wide.

This range

is

called

names for its

One of these parts, and the

Cimatario, with different

different parts.

highest, is the Cuesta China, over

which runs

the road from Mexico.

At
the

the western end of El Cimatario, nearer to

city, is

West

another isolated

hill called

El Jacal.

of the city extends a plain, in the middle

is a small, isolated rocky hill over-

of which

grown with

cactus, called Cerro de la

(Bell

about one thousand

hill),

metres distant from the

city.

five

Campana
hundred

46

OCCUPATION OF QUEEETAEO.

From

this description it will be seen, that

is

Queretaro

the worst place in the world to

defend, as every house

may be

reached by gun-

shot from the surrounding hills.

Such a defeu ce could only be made by an
army numerous

enough to occupy these

hills.

The highest point of the city itself is in its

south-eastern corner, where on a not very high
rock

built the rather extensive Colegio

is

de

Santa Cruz, commonly called the Cruz. In

the south-western corner is the Garita (gate)
la

del Pueblito,

Between

it

and

close to

and the cruz

it

is

the Casa Blanca.

the Alameda, a not

very large pubhc square for promenading, to be

found in every town or city of Spanish origin.

The

which separates the city from the

above-mentioned suburb San Luis, is fordable
river

at different places,

and has only one bridge at

the end of the Calle Miraflores, one of the

of Queretaro, which passes
the
centre of the city, and com-,
right through
mences at the north-west comer of the Alameda.
principal

The

streets

city has a great

many

churches, chapels,
and convents, and offers a very picturesque view.

Until the 1st of March, the time was passed

in

many preparations, and

Mexico.

heard but

waiting for news from

"We saw nothing of the enemy, and
little.

The new Secretary

of Finance tried to bring

47

OCCUPATION OF QUEEETAEO.

about regularly the payment

and

also

as

to

This he did so

of the soldiers,

the commissary department.

successfully that the soldiers

but delighted, for such

a regular state of things was quite miraculous

were not only

in a

satisfied,

Mexican army.

As

am

rather an indifferent financier, I

could not assist General Yidaurri in his very

onerous though beneficent task ; and having no

duty whatever, I passed my time as well as I

could until the booming of the guns again set

my

faculties at play.
I visited the theatre Iturbide in the

Calle

where some Spanish comedies were

represented rather indifferently, and where later
Miraflores,

the saddest tragedy of the century

enacted.

was

to be

During these days a bull fight took place in

The arena was
an arena near the Alameda.
crowded to

its

utmost, and I was also there.

The Emperor, however, who was formerly enthusiastic about this sport when travelling in Spain,
did not go to see the bull fight, probably not

expecting much.

It was, indeed, a paltry affair,

though bloody enough. Six horses were gored,

but neither the picadores nor matadores showed

any

skill.

I must, however, not forget a half- disgusting

half-laughable incident, which took place at this

48

OCCUPATION OF QUERETARO.

Two women

appeared in the arena to try

their skill against a bull whose horns were provided with balls. The rough-looking, though
fight.

women did not earn much glory,

much bruised and with torn garments

rather pretty

however

they were compelled to fly from the arena, followed by the derisive laughter and hissing of
the audience.

On

the 1st of

March the Emperor held a

review of Mejia's cavalry, which, for a Mexican

The horses looked
troop, was very excellent.
extremely well fed and clean, and the uniforms
The
of the soldiers were better than usual.
best troops amongst

Quiroga

them were the regiment

mostly consisting of Yidaurri men, who

formerly fought against Mejia, until they came'

over with their old chieftain to the party of the
Emperor ; then the regiment pf the Empress,

and the 6th regiment.

Cavalry patrols had scoured the country
around to get news from the enemy and from
;

farmers, and especially from priests they heard,

though only as a report, that masses of Liberals

were concentrating in St. Martin, between Queretaro and San Luis Potosi and others at Celaya,
;

five leagues from Queretaro.

the afternoon of the 2nd of March, I had

about four or

On

make a

report to the Emperor. As he was

just going out for a promenade on horseback he
to

49

OCCUPATION OF QUERETAEO.

me

accompany him to the Alameda.

"When on our way an officer handed him a
despatch from Mexico, which had just arrived.

invited

to

After he had read

at these blackguards

it,

he

said,

"Now

look

(meaning his ministers

in Mexico,) these fellows are afraid, and will not
send me any troops.
They say the capital

was

in danger.

They are only

afraid for

them-

selves !"

The news

of the advance of the

enemy was

confirmed in the afternoon of the 4th of March,

and on the 5th, towards night, they were seen
concentrating in the plain west of the Cerro de
la Campana, and our outposts were reinforced.

During the night of the 5th to the 6th of March

the garrison was alarmed, as an attack was
expected at dawn.

kept for some time,

Our
was as

which we

position,

following
The centre and key point was the Cerro de la
Campana, which falls off rather steeply towards
:

Here the Emperor and Miramon

took up their position, with one battalion and
two batteries. Between this cerro and that of
St. Gregorio, on which was placed a battery,

the west.

stood the division Castillo.

To

the

left

of the

Cerro de la Campana, between it and the Casa

Blanca, near the Garita de Pueblito, were posted
the division Mendez, protecting thus the road
coming from Celaya. Between the Casa Blanca
vox.

I,

60

OCCUPATIOX OF QUEEETAEO.

and the Alameda stood, in columns, our cavalry,

under. Mejia

its

left

flank protected

by two

regiments.
In the morning the
in the plain

enemy was seen moving

west of the Campana, but no attack

was intended
and

they merely occupied the villages

haciendas in the neighbourhood.

From

Emperor remained on

that time the

the Cerro de la Campaiia, and slept this and the

following nights on the ground, covered only
with his plaid, and over him the starry sky;

Miramon and Marquez, who were with him, did

The hill was cleared fi^om the cactus
the same.
plants, with which it was overgrown, some
breastworks, and six or seven embankments for
guns were

built.

The cavalry skirmishers surrounding the

army of the enemy, who then consisted of
eighteen thousand men, commanded by General
Escobedo, approached our lines to within five
General
hundred to six hundred paces.
Vidaurri,

who was both

and of War

Secretary of Finance

his hands quite fully

the
troops, and with
occupied in providing for
making financial arrangements, in which I could

in the field,

not assist him

I,

had

therefore, kept always near

Emperor without having any particular duty.

On the morning of the 7th March an attack
was expected with the more certainty, as the

the

51

OCCUPATION OP QUEEETAEO.

enemy was seen massing

troops

in

"We became, however, soon aware

plain.
it

liis

was only

tlie

tliat

for a review.

Several generals advised the Emperor to

attack the Liberals in this position with all
available forces,

and he was much inclined

to

do

Marquez opposed this enterprise, and

enemy would not wait for our
attack in the plain, and that it would also be
better to let him collect all his forces, to anniso; but

said that the

them with one stroke

The wisdom of this silly advice was explained

hilate

to

me

by Marquez's Russian military

who considered my reasons for an

at length

assistant,

immediate attack as pedantry.

The

away by our
an attack, and with

following days passed

waiting impatiently for

movements of the army of the enemy, in which
he was not hindered by us.

Our

-chief

of

imagined that the

staff,
little

Marquez, must have

Rio Blanca was a suffi-

protection for our right flank, for he

neglected to occupy the Cerro San Pablo, which
cient

commanded the

This negligence was soon

noticed by the enemy, who occupied the garita
on the road towards the north, situated at the
city.

foot of the Pablo,

and

also the chapel

on the top

hill, on the night between the 8th and

9th of March. As this position might become

of this

52

OCCUPATION OF QUERETARO.

very troublesome for our right flank, General

Mendez made a reconnaissance in force in this
direction, witli the regiment of the

the hussars.

After a

Empress and

skirmish in the

little

between San Gregorio and San Pablo, he

In consequence of this reconnaissance,
retired.

valley

General Castillo advanced next morning, with

one brigade, against San Pablo, his flank
covered by
Cazadores,

infantry of the

the

hill

battalion

of

the

at the head, chased the

enemy from the

San Pablo, with

its

garita,

chapel,

and

stormed
retired,

having discovered on the other side of the

In this attack

after
hill

The

cavalry.

who were

several thousand infantry.

commander

the

of

the

Cazadores,

Lieut.-

Colonel Yillasana, was wounded.

The Emperor sent for me at noon. As I

had commanded a brigade in the United States*
army, he excused himself for asking

me whether

would accept the command of the Cazadores,

as no brigade was vacant.
The corps, whose
command he offered me, he said, was a select
I

one, and could be

As
any

My

managed only by great energy.

was utterly

definite duty,

tired of

my

I accepted

position without
it

with pleasure.

commission was drawn out immediately, and

the major in charge presented me to the battalion.

I was well received by both ofiicers and
soldiers,

though the major was perhaps a

little

53

OCCUPATION OF QUBEETAEO.
as

dissatisfied,

promoted

lie

himself.

miglit have expected to be

The Cazadores consisted of

nearly seven hundred men, of whom the greater

part were French ; but there were also Germans,

Hungarians, and about a hundred and fifty

Mexicans. It was a wild corps of the bravest
soldiers that could be

found.

The

battalion

stood in the centre of the position of General

Castillo, near the road from Queretaro to San

Luis Potosi,
attached to

and four twelve-pounders

were

it.

In the afternoon

movements were
The heights of San

lively

seen amongst the enemy.

Pablo and La Cantara were occupied by them,
and the same was the case with that of the

Cuesta China, where they constructed a battery.

Nothing was done to impede these movements,
but

it

was thought advisable

position.

General Castillo

fell

change our
back behind the
to

Rio Blanca, and occupied the whole

river

along the

city.

line of the

brigade of General

Mendez's division was sent to the Convent de

la

Cruz, where the Emperor took up his headquarters, and where he was followed by his

The cavalry under

staff, Marquez.
in
remained
their
former
Mejia
position.
In consequence of these changes, I and my

chief of

Cazadores were charged with the defence of the

bridge at the end of the Calle Miraflores.

54

OCCUPATION OF QUERETAEO.

On
enemy

the same evening, about six o'clock, the

opened fire against the cruz from his

battery on the Cuesta China.

As the cruz will occupy from this time the

most prominent part

in the siege of Queretaro, a

description of it will be required.

The extensive convent, Santa Cruz, which

stands on the rock on the south-eastern corner

of the city, and commands it, dates from the
time of the Conquest, and is built of very solid
stone,
little

against which cannon-shot

makes but

impression.

The length of the whole building is little

more than six hundred metres, and its width
about four hundred. The whole is surrounded
^vith a solid stone wall.

Another wall divides

the whole area into two parts.

The western

only two hundred and sixty

metres long, contains on its northern half the
convent, the southern half is occupied by
division,

which

is

The eastern half of the area

yards.
belonging to the convent is occupied by a large
different

which would be rectangular also, if its

northern wall did not form a projecting angle.

yard,

On

the eastern wall, projecting outside, stands

a solid stone building, called the pantheon. It

the burial place of the convent, and at its

southern side is a chapel. As the ground slopes

is

down from

the east towards the west, this pan-

OCCUPATION OF QUEEETAEO.
tlieon,

witli its

bO

chapel, stands on the highest

point of the city. On the west side, before the

convent, is a square, called Plaza de la Cruz.

From

this description

may be

the cruz

it

will

be seen that

considered as the citadel of

Queretaro.

When

General Marquez arranged for the

defence of the cruz, he left the pantheon and its
chapel unoccupied, and when the Emperor and
" that
other persons remonstrated, he said,
they

enemy with whom they had

to deal."
Marquez had always told the Emperor
that the army of the Liberals was nothing but a
did not

know

the

worthless rabble.

SIEGE OF QUERETARO.
The
taro,

14tli of

March

very

Movements

is,

in the siege of Quere-

memorable and

in the

army

of the

glorious

enemy

day.

in the

morning indicated that a general attack was

intended, and this really took place, at about
ten o'clock a.m., against three different points
the cruz, the bridge, and the position between
the Alameda, and the Casa Blanca, which latter
:

was occupied by the

cavalry, under Mejia.

fourth attack against the Cerro de la

was only a feint.

As soon

Campana

as the batteries of the Cuesta China

had given the signal, strong columns of cavalry

advanced from the south against the Casa Blanca

When

they arrived on the plain

before them, Mejia attacked them with his
cavalry, and with such impetuosity, that the

and Alameda.

enemy,

after a short resistance, fled in great

them beyond
the Cerro Cimatario, which offers no impediments to the movements of cavalry, and drove
them to their camp, near the Estancia de las

disorder.

Our

cavalry pursued

57

SIEGE OF QUERETARO.

Vacas, killing and wounding one hundred and

men, and making seventy prisoners.

Supported by a tremendous fire from the

thirty

Cuesta China, dense columns of infantry now

advanced against the eastern side of the cruz,
and, thanks to the stupid or treacherous negligence of Marquez, the unoccupied pantheon

chapel was stormed, its walls towards the yard

provided with loopholes, and the azotea or flat

roof of the chapel occupied with soldiers, who

fired from their elevated position against our
troops who defended the convent.
Before relating the attack against the bridge,
I must describe the ground.
Along the river

runs a

street.

The

flat

roofs of the

houses

next the bridge had been provided by General

Castillo with breastworks during the previous
This side the bridge, leaving only a
night.

narrow passage

for

one

man

abreast,

was

raised

a battery of adobes, which are bricks made of

sun-dried clay, of a foot square and four inches

Between two walls made by them earth

was filled in, and this wall contained embrasures
thick.

for three twelve-pounders,

one of which raked

the bridge.
On the other side of the bridge, in
the suburb San Luis, ran also a street along
the river, and there was a free space directly
before the bridge of about one hundred paces'
length.

At

the south-west corner of this open

68

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

place, therefore, next tlae bridge, stood

an ex-

tensive building, called meson, an inn for muleteers and such people, with a corral surrounded

by a

Before the houses oppo-

solid stone wall.

the bridge, on the north side of the free

place, stands a well, and to the right and leffc
site

of

them two not

quite parallel streets run

up

the slope of the Cerro San Gregorio, on which

the suburb is built.
The next street, running

and intersecting the two

parallel to the river,

above mentioned, leads to the right to the

church of San Sebastian, and from it runs
another street

down

to the river.

The church

stands on higher ground, and from the gallery

of its steeple one can see directly into the
streets of Queretaro,

and sharpshooters may

reach them with their guns.

At the signal given from the Cuesta China,
columns of infantry moved down the two

formed on the square, and advanced

At a distance of one hunagainst the bridge.
dred paces they were received with a shower
streets,

of canister and bullets, which

tail at

made them turn

once, and retire behind the church of

San Sebastian.

Cautioned by the

warm

reception at the bridge, they moved down the street

leading from the church to the river, and where
it is

fordable.

As soon

as their intention

was

noticed by General Castillo, I received orders to

59

SIEGE OP QUEEETARO.

meet thein with

the bridge
remained occupied by our reserve, the battahon

my Cazadores, whilst

Celaya.

In double quick time I marched through

the next street behind me, and was just in
time to pour one volley after the other into
them, whilst the right wing gun of the bridge
battery greeted them with canister shots. They

had to

retire for a

second time.

Though the enemy must have

suffered con-

siderable losses, they again attacked the bridge

with renewed force between eleven and twelve

and succeeded in occupying some of

the opposite houses, and also the Meson Sebaso'clock,

tian,
fire,

from which they kept up a rather

which we responded.

lively

to

"Whilst this useless firing

was going on at

the bridge, the fight was continued at the

cruz.
Supported by the guns of the Ouesta
China, which sent over the cruz and

its yards
the
shell,
infantry in the
pantheon, and from the roof of the chapel, fired
against the convent and about forty men who

a shower of shot and

had placed themselves in a very exposed position on its roof.

They were commanded by an
Austrian captain of the name of Linger, whom
General Thun used to call the captain with the
Bordeaux nose and the Mayonnaise face. Notwithstanding his remarkable complexion, he was

60

SIEGE OF QUERETARO.

a very brave man, and kept liis dangerous

place with great courage, until he was killed by
a bullet entering his forehead, after which his
men left the position. No longer hindered by
them, the enemy tried to advance into the large

by densely-growing cactus
with
which the ground was covered.
plants,
This protection, though sufficient against the

yard,

eyes,

protected

was not

sufficient against the bullets

the convent, and the

enemy had

from
back

to fall

again to the pantheon.

About the same time the cavalry of the
enemy, opposite the Alameda and Casa Blanca,

had recovered from the beating they received

from Mejia, and made a second attack, but
fared

still

worse than the

first

time.

Brave

made a very briland drove them back between

Mejia, always the foremost,

hant charge,
Cerro Cimatario and El Jacal.

Here they

several hundreds of dead, wounded, and

lost
pri-

soners.

Had Mejia availed himself of his glorious

suc-

cess to attack the battery of the Cuesta China

which attack would have been supthe

guns from the cruz, the victory
ported by
of this day would have been still more complete.
But I believe brave Mejia felt a little astonished

in the flank,

at the unusual pluck of the

heard him say

enemy

at least, I

to the Emperor, that as long as

61

SIEGE OE QUEEETAEO.
lie

had been fighting

in

Mexico he had never

seen the Liberals in such force and perfection.

During the fight on the cruz the Emperor

was on the Plaza de la Cruz, exposed to shot

and shell sent in abundance from the Cuesta
All remonstrances proved as useless as
those made by a deputation of the generals the

China.

day before, who besought him not to expose

himself so much. Bold Mejia said, in his plain
'*

language,
killed all

Consider, your Majesty, if you are

of us will fight against each other for

though these words

made some impression on the Emperor, he
said that the place where he stood was the

the presidency ;"

but,

right place for him.

The lull in the fight at the bridge, inter-

rupted only by firing firom the houses, was of

little after noon great

no' long duration.
masses of infantry were seen forming near the

Chapel de

la

Cruz del Cerro, which

is

higher up
the slope of San Gregorio, at the end of the
suburb, and at the same time a rifled Parrot
gun, placed in the street to the left of the place
before the bridge, commenced firing with shells
against the battery at the bridge, raking at the
same time the Calle Miraflores, and reaching

even the Plaza de Armos, in the centre of the

were killed.
city, where several citizens

When

the shells burst amongst us,

my Caza-

62

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

dores, elated by tlieir success,

became impatient.

"
They surrounded me, crying, Lead on, colonel
lead on
we will whip them. The Cazadores
;

"

always go a-head
In Europe it would be
!

such a corps.

The wild

difficult to

imagine

fellows were always

fighting among themselves, and I had to do all

in my power to prevent bloodshed and murder ;

but as soon as they were led against the enemy,

they were like one man, and every one tried to
outdo his comrades in daring deeds. Even the
very buglers, boys between fourteen and sixteen, stole sometimes outside the lines, armed

with a gun and a box

" Chinacos "
I

of cartridges, to hunt
(Liberals) on their own hook.
comforted my Cazadores as well as I
full

could by promising them that the right moment

was near at hand; and I soon received the

most welcome order from

my biigadier,

General

Yaldez, to drive away the troublesome Parrot

gun, and to occupy the meson and adjacent
houses,

whilst

the

battalion

Celaya was to

The cavalry regiment

Empress, commanded by Colonel Lopez, reoccupy our position.

ceived orders to protect our left flank.

I thought it well to address my impatient
boys, and

made a speech

to

them

still

more

than any of those with which I once

encouraged my soldiers in the United States,
effective

63

SIEGE OF QUEKETAEO.

then

broken

in

now

Englisli,

did

it

in

them that

more broken Spanish.

want to hear a shot until I ordered
and that the main business had to be
I told

still

I did not
it,

done with the bayonet alone.

them

for the

attack,

I then formed

keeping

them under

cover as long as possible.

While I did

my men

with

actually

quivered

so,

eagerness,

pack of hounds waiting for the signal.

With a tremendous cheer, in as many lan-

like a

guages as were spoken around the tower of

Babel, and a ''Viva il Emperador,^' they stormed
the bridge and road before it.
When we had
reached about the middle of the place, we received a shower of canister at a distance of fifty
paces, and discovered the dangerous Parrot
before us.
I raised my sword, and calling out,
''Viva

il

Emperador

were close at

my

we
Don Mace-

a lajpieza muchacJios!"

rushed up to the gun.

donio Yictorica, and a

My
little

heels.

major,

swarthy Mexican,

The brave Liberal

commander of the gun, a lieutenant, fired at the

major with his revolver, and wounded him
but it was his last shot, half a dozen
severely
;

bayonets were immediately buried in his body.

All the artillerymen belonging to the rifled
cannon were bayoneted or killed with the stock
of the guns used like clubs.
The conquered
piece was sent back to the bridge, whilst the

64

SIEGE OF QUERETAEO.

Celaya fired on tlie Liberals in the

meson, who soon saved themselves, and fled
battalion

through the gardens up the

we saw

hill.

The

infantry

us fled panic- struck into the

houses, of which they locked the doors ; but I
before

advanced into the street to dislodge them, and

the doors were opened by well-applied shots.

There were many wild deeds done in those

houses which I could not hinder, though I tried
to do so.
The French in the Cazadores, in-

by the butchery of San Jacinto, had

promised themselves to spare no enemy, and
least of all Frenchmen who served with the
furiated

They made good their word in the

most horrid manner, and I had even to use my
sword against some of my men, who would not
Liberals.

obey

my

mercy.

orders to spare those that cried for

At some of the thresholds the dead

were piled up, and in one of the houses was performed a most singular and cruel scene. One
of

my

sergeants, a Frenchman,

house four Mexicans

was on

his

killed in a

man, a Frenchman,
knees praying for mercy. His con" All the
his
;

queror, in charging

mercy

had

I will grant

fifth

musket,

you

is,

said,

that I will not des-

a dog, but give you the honour

patch you
With that he very calmly shot
of a bullet."
his countryman dead.
like

The stampede which

saw amongst the

65

SIEGE OP QUEEETAEO.

dense mass of the enemy before me, induced

Driving them before

a flock of sheep, I turned the next

to follow up

me

like

me

my

success.

corner in the street leading to San Sebastian,

and then, following again the street leading up
hill, we arrived at the chapel De la Cruz del
Cerro, at the end of the suburb
this position I

San

Luis.

From

saw that the enemy had formed

again at the chapel San Trinidad, which was

to
right, a little higher up San Grregorio.

my

Before they succeeded, however, I had drawn

up my battalion in line of battle, placing a company in reserve, and I poured volley after volley
into the enemy, who fled over the edge of the
hill in great disorder.
At this moment I saw

emerging from a street the head of the regiment Empress, under Lopez. I sent him two
with the request that he would pursue
the enemy, and when he refused I rode up to

officers

him myself and repeated my

request, but he
" That he could not
answered,
expose his regiment in such a manner, and that the ground

was not

fit

for cavalry."

If he could not use

on that ground, I cannot see of what

use he was there. I have myself beer, an officer

his cavalry

of cavalry in Prussia, and know very well where

The ground was certainly
cavalry may be used.
not so smooth as a parade-ground, but it was
practicable.

66

SIEGE OP QUERETARO.

As

had only orders to

silence the Parrot

gun, and to take the meson, which was satisfactorily accomplished, I dared not to transgress
further without waiting for orders.
I thereLieutenant Montecon, my aide, to
General Yaldez, to report our success and

fore

sent

and

to request him to send another

battalion, that I might take and maintain San

position,

Gregorio.

General Yaldez, however, sent me, with his

congratulations, the order to retreat, as a
further advance

was against

and to put a company

his instructions,

into the meson.

of course only to obey orders, but

were

They had

furious.

hundred men

killed

my

had

Cazadores

more than three

I mentioned a little black Mexican, who, with

the major, was first with me at the gun. He was

a very queer fellow, who showed me great attach-

ment, and was anxious for an approving word,

and happy
mission.
to tears,

to

if I

gave him some dangerous com-

At every opportunity he^^was affected

which made a very striking contrast

wildness and bravery.

During the fight

and
crying,
holding up in his
hand a thing which I recognized with difficulty
"
as the barrel of a
he
liis

he came to

me

Colonel,"

gun.

"

Colonel, I have done

duty

my

I have deserved a

duty

cried,

yes, I did

new gun,

my

or I cannot

SIEGE OF QTJUEETAEO.

Q7

any more." On my questioning liim as

to what he had done with his gun, he said that
fight

bayonet broke when he spitted a Chinaco

against the wall, and his stock when he dashed
his

another's brains out

whom

he

but the skull of a third,

with the barrel, proved harder,

and the barrel bent in the manner he showed me.

We

hit

had

lost in

dead and wounded about

Our retreat to the bridge was

thirty men.
quite an ovation, and I must say I felt some
satisfaction

new

when the Cazadores cheered

colonel.

When

their

I arrived on the place

before the bridge, I met Mr. H. C. Clark,

respondent of the "New York Herald,"

cor-

who

so enthusiastic that he pulled me almost

horse in giving me the Mexican embrazo.

became
off

my

Mr. Clark was, however, no American, but a

very amiable English gentleman, though cor'*
respondent of the New York Herald," to whom
I

was happy enough

when he came with

to render

the

Emperor

some

service

to Queretaro,

and was ordered by Marquez, in a brutal manner,

as a suspected foreigner, to leave the city.
I
had already known him in the United States,

and he therefore applied

to

me

in his difficulty.

I spoke at once to the

Emperor, who gave him a
written permit to remain, whilst Mr. Clark gave

me

privately his

word of honour not

to hold

any communication with the enemy, and to

re-

68

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

He was

port truthfully.

afterwards nearly

Under renewed cheering the captured Parrot gun was

passed through our barricade and sent to the

killed in his

room by a

cannon-ball.

cruz.

The Cazadores occupied

tion.

When

congratulated
the embrazo.

saw

their old posi-

and Yaldez they

success, and gave me

Castillo

me on my

The enemy were so much scared by the

severe punishment we had inflicted on them,
that they dared not show themselves all day.
Even San Gregorio remained unoccupied but
early next morning they had constructed a
;

battery there.
During our fight in San Luis, severe fighting

was

also going

on on the south

side.

Beside

on the Cuesta China, the enemy

had placed there two regiments as a reserve ;
and in the plain between the city and the Cerro

their battery

Cimatario, four regiments of horse, with four

As these troops were threatened
field-pieces.

by our cavalry under Mejia, on their left flank,

another column of cavalry was sent over the
cerro to protect

it.

When

Mejia attacked

it.

General Miramon sent from the Alameda some

infantry with four guns, which
cessful

made

a very suc-

attack, and beat even the reserves of the

enemy.
While this was being done, the Liberals in

69

SIEGE OF QUEEETARO.

the pantlieon had received reinforcements, and

advanced over the large yard to attack the con-

Vent

At

itself.

this perilous

moment

the garri-

son of the cruz made a decisive movement.

The brave Colonel Don

sallied

Sefferino

Rodriguez

out at the head of the 3rd battalion of

the hne, and not only drove the Liberals from

the yard, but even took the pantheon and the
tance.

enemy even for some disThe pantheon was now well garrisoned,

and not

lost again during the

chapel, pursuing the

About

five o'clock p.m.,

whole

siege.

the enemy was re-

pulsed everywhere. "We lost about six hundred

men, but the loss of the enemy, who had to
field, counted by thousands.
made
between seven and eight
We, moreover,
hundred prisoners, of vhom a good number

fight in the

open

joined our army.

Between

five

and

six o'clock the

Emperor,
and
followed by Miramon, Marquez,
staff", visited
the lines. Wherever he came he was received
with cheers, for the courage with which he ex-

posed himself, and the Mendly and appropriate

words with which he acknowledged every meritorious deed,

had

won him

the enthusiastic

affection of the soldiers.

On coming

to the Cazadores, he gave

me

his

hand, and thanked the regiment in a short

" the Zouaves
speech, in which he called them

SIEGE OP QUEEETAEO.

70

of Mexico," on wluch. the shouts of exultation

were deafening.
For tlie night the battahon Celaya had taken
our position, and we rested at a less exposed
place ; when there, a Capuchin friar came, who
had the image of the Holy Virgin hanging by a
rope round his neck. The Mexicans, amongst

whose hands were not cleansed yet

from the blood they had spilt, rushed up to the
priest with exultation, crossing themselves, and

my troops,

devoutly kissed the image.

At

night spread its brown mantle over

and the thunder of the guns and the

last,

the city,

rattling of the

weird

stillness.

not even a

musketry was followed by a

The streets were deserted, and

footfall

was to be heard.

All were

sleeping after that hard day's work except the

Even the clocks were silent, for it
outposts.

had been forgotten to wind them up ; and the

night watchmen, who on other nights, proclaimed the weather and the hour, snored in

some corner as they did not know the time. The

dogs also, which make the nights in Mexican
cities only too noisy, had disappeared, allured by
the horrid meal which was dished up for them
outside by the grim god of war.
On the morning of the 15 th
deserters that the Liberals

we heard from
were very much dis-

couraged by their great losses of yesterday.

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

71

The more joyous and higli- spirited our men

became and when my Cazadores, who occupied
again their post of honour, became aware, by
;

the peculiar whizzing of the projectiles passing

over our heads, that Santa Cruz sent its iron

San Gregorio from the mouth

gun we had taken, they exulted

cartes de visite to

of the rifled
loudly.

All

those

non-commissioned

officers

and

who had

distinguished themselves yesterday were at noon assembled on the Plaza

de la Cruz, forming a hollow square, in the middle
privates

of which stood the captured gun.

To the
battalion who had retaken the pantheon, and
whose brave colonel had been severely wounded

" You
by a bullet in his chest, the Emperor said,
have all behaved so bravely that I cannot

make any

distinction.

We

therefore resolved

to decorate the whole battalion."

This he did

by attaching the cross of the Mexican eagle to

their colours.

eight Cazadores, who were first with

at the piece, received two the gold, and six

The

me

the silver medal for bravery, and beside each

had an ounze, that is, a new gold twenty dollar
piece with the head of the

Emperor on it.
The little terrible Mexican, whose waterpumps were always at work, even when he was
tapping blood, had received, on my recommen-

72

SIEGE OF QUERETAEO.

dation, a gold medal,

and was so beside himself

with pleasure that he gave me, before the whole

front, the Mexican embrazo, beating with his

hand
over

my back, and
my shoulder.

shedding torrents of tears

Before the assembling of the council of war,

which was to have been held in the evening, I was

ordered to the Emperor, who desired to hear

my opinion about what was best to do under
present circumstances.
I declared that I
thought

it

best to take ad-

vantage of the discouragement produced on the

enemy, by our yesterday's work, and to make an
attack against San Gregorio and San Pablo with
the whole of the infantry, whilst the cavalry
that protected our left flank beat that of the
enemy standing before the Cerro de la Campana,

and then to advance against San Luis Potosi,

the temporal seat of Juarez and his government.
Hazardous, and even foolish as this proposition to attack an enemy four times more numerous, in a strong position, may appear to
Europeans, it would be from want of knowledge of Mexican warfare and Mexican spirit.
defeat may, perhaps, not discourage a good
European army, but with a Mexican army it is

usually equal to a dissolution, even

It
times larger than the conquerors.

impossible to

make them stand

fire

if
is

many
almost

again.

They

SIEGE OP QUEEETAEO.

73

throw away their arms, and run away to their

homes, or over to the enemy.
After our success of yesterday, and the
enthusiasm of our troops, I had not the slightest
doubt that we should win a decisive victory, and

army of the Liberals, especially if

we attacked them promptly, before the arrival
of the new reinforcements, which were andisperse the

nounced.

To permit the enemy to shut us up

in a place

unfavourably as Queretaro, which

had neither a political nor strategical importance, seemed to me not only ridiculous but
situated

so

was not in accordance

with the intentions of the Emperor, and with
even

fatal.

Moreover,

it

those of Marquez either, which, at least, might

be concluded from the circumstance, that Mar-

quez

left

all

the haciendas round Queretaro

perfectly untouched, whilst the securing of their

superabundance, in every kind of provision,

would have been his first aim if he intended to
sustain

a siege.

How

richly these haciendas

were provided was experienced by the army of

the enemy, which was mostly fed by them.

we advanced

against San Luis Potosi

and the west, and sent General Vidaurri to the
If

north of the country, where his name was of

the utmost importance, all the resources of those
rich districts,

now used by

the enemy, would

74

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

into our hands, and in a short time we

should have a considerable army. Yera Cruz
was still in our possession, and since the
fall

departure of the French, the revenue from the

customs again became ours ; we had means for
the support of such an army.
However, Marquez was of a different opinion,
and his opinion was then all powerful with the

Emperor. After having heard me, he said that

my view of the case disagreed with that of
Marquez, who had grown old in these revolutions

who knew

and whose

the country and the people ;

honesty and loyalty could not be

Marquez had been one of the principal persons who called him to the country; and it
was also Marquez who convinced him that he
doubted.

ought to remain in Mexico

that he

must 'not

forsake his party, but prove that he could exist

without the help of France. His honour re-

quired that he should show the world he had

not degraded liimself so much as to become a

mere

tool of another

man.

The Emperor was perfectly infatuated by

Marquez. Though a man of good sense, his
character was too noble and too pure to suspect
the honesty of others.

Napoleon and a

Marquez had easy work with a nature like his.

Marquez carried his point, and it was decided
on being shut up in Queretaro.

SIEGE OE QUEEETAEO.

About nine

75

o'clock p. m. (15tli), the enemy

far from their panic as to at-

had recovered so

tempt, under the cover of night, another attack

against the bridge, but the battalion Celaya
easily beat

them

off.

These nightly attacks against the bridge

were repeated very frequently during the siege,
as the bridge and the cruz were considered to
be the key-points of the city. Whenever such
an attack took place the city was bombarded

from

all

their

batteries,

if

there

was not a

ammunition in the enemy's camp, as

happened now and then. Liberal officers told
scarcity of

me

afterwards that they received not unfrequently ammunition by the dihgence, which

conveyed it to Celaya.
Ammunition, especially cannon-balls, was
also not in sufficient quantity in the city, and
General Arellano took care to manufacture

We

it.

were provided by the enemy, whose

were very badly made, and the greater

also

shells

number did not explode.

Men

or boys

delivered a sound shell received a dollar

who
for a

was paid.
On the 16th of March the enemy must have

shot half a dollar

received a fresh supply of ammunition, for they

poured over the city every kind of missile.

These bombardments, however, became now an

every day occurrence, only enlivened now and

76

SIEGE OF QUEEETAKO.

then by some outpost skirmish. Though I saw

frequently the inhabitants killed in the very
streets,

they

became

so

accustomed

to

the

bombardment that it did not generally interrupt

their business.
The ladies, who at the commencement kept in their houses, now made their
usual afternoon promenades, and resumed their
old places on the balconies, though many of

them had to pay for it with their lives or limbs.

The favourite targets of the Liberal artillery
were

the

cruz,

the

convent

Santa

Clara,

occupied by our artillery-laboratory, the Cerro

de la Campana, the Alameda, Casa Blanca, and
the bridge.
The greatest damage was perhaps
done at the cruz and the post office, which
received a great many of the shot which were
intended for Miramon's headquarters, which
lay in the same direction, and which had been

betrayed to the enemy.

Theatre and arena were closed, but all shelling
could not prevent people from collecting together

The coffee-houses were

and
a
French
one at the Plaza de
crowded,
Armas was the favourite resort of all officers.
Here one was always sure to find the freshest

for their

amusement.

news, for every one

there to exchange

from

who came from

a fight went

news as soon as he was

free

service.

The time from 15th

to

20th March was

77

SIEGE OP QUEEETAEO.

employed in fortifying tlie city as well as possible,

but all that could be done was to build breast-

some buildings with

embrasures and loopholes. Our batteries stood
on the Cerro de la Campana between it and
the bridge, at the bridge, on the cruz, at the
and

works,

to

provide

chapel San Francisquito, the Alameda, Casa

Blanca, and between the latter and the road to

To the right of the

made
had
some openings in a
Celaya.

bridge,

Castillo

solid wall,

which

did not look like embrasures, but behind

them

he had placed mountain guns, from which the

Liberals, to their great astonishment, were
greeted with canister.

Amongst our

generals

were some who were not judged able enough

under present circumstances, and they were

removed from their commands.

them
were the general of division
Amongst
Casanova, and the brigadier-generals Herrera y

therefore

Lozada and Calvo.

The Emperor sent every day for me ; when

he did so again on the 20th he gave me the
command of the first brigade in Mendez's division,

as a reward, he said, for

my

behaviour

on the 14th. This was a very fine brigade, and

consisted of the Cazadores, the 2nd, 6th, and
14th battalion of the
dores under

the

line,

the battalion of Tira-

command

of

Colonel

Carlos Miramon, and the battalion Zamora.

Don

78

SIEGE OP QUERETARO.

On my recommendation tlie Emperor gave

command of tlie Cazadores to Major Ernest

tlie

Pitner,

who

corps.
year, he

been a captain in the Austrian

In the battle of Santa Gertrudis last

fell,

liad

severely wounded, into the hands of

the enemy.
This fight was the first success of
the Liberals, and it was the more welcome to

them

as they captured several millions of money

which were to be conveyed to Monterey.

Escobedo,

who won

this victory

and captured

By the
money, did not forget himself.
banking house of Brach and Schoenfeld in
this

Monterey, he sent ten thousand pounds sterling

to

England

At

for his personal account.

when the Emperor marched

the time

to

Queretaro, Captain Pitner was discharged, and

received from Escobedo a pass to Yera Cruz,

with the understanding that he should go fi:'om

thence to Europe. But when the captain came,
to Queretaro,

and saw that the Emperor had so

with him, he offered his

few European

officers

services again.

Marquez treated the captain,

citizen's dress, very roughly, and

who
had

arrived in

him even

imprisoned

as

suspicious

foreigner, but when the misunderstanding was

cleared up he took him as a major on his staff.

Colonel Lopez received also a reserve brigade

composed of different troops, and was charged
especially with the defence of the cruz.

Part

79

SIEGE OP QUEEETARO.

of my brigade stood between tlie Oerro Campana

and the left wing of Castillo's position, and

The other part

the Casa Blanca with Mendez, who had

with, it I

was

at

had

my

headquarters.

the cruz with one brigade, and now occupied the line from the Garita Pueblito to the
left

San

chapel

brigade

pounders.

I had with my
Francisquito.
of smooth-bored eight
battery

The gun taken on the 14th was the

only rifled one in the

My Major del

city.

Ordenes

Don

Ramon

Robles

^^brigade-adjutant, was a stout stupid fellow,

and besides him I found as an aide a Mexican
heutenant, who was still more inefficient if pos-

me my personal
Julian
Don
Montecon, who showed
aide-de-camp,
sible.

I took therefore with

great attachment to me, and

whom

I loved very

He was

much.

only seventeen, very modest

and agreeable, and spoke a little French.
I
once said to him, that if I should be wounded
or killed, he might take care of my body ; and
from that time he followed me in battle like
iny shadow, and

if the fight was very sharp

he was close upon my heels, as it were with
open arms ready to receive me if I should

be

hit.

The brave boy never thought of

himself.

On
of

the 20th of

war was again

March an important

held, of

council

which I have in

my

80

SIEGE OF QUERETAEO.

possession the original record.

is the translation
:

The

following

Record of the Council of War held in the Fort de

la Cruz, on the 20th of March, 1867.

H. M. the Emperor ordered a council of

war, consisting of the undersigned generals, to
assemble at headquarters, in the Fort de la
Cruz, of the city of Queretaro, on March 20th,
1867, at three o'clock p.m. When the generals
were assembled, the sovereign said
:

"

Gentlemen, five different opinions about

what we have to do in our present position
have been submitted to me to-day by the
chief of artillery, our secretary of the present
have not decided upon any
council of war.

We

of them
zaba,

but, true to the rule laid

when

down

in Ori-

the Cabinet and the Council of State

resolved on our remaining at the head of the

empire, we have assembled you here, that you,

without occupying yourselves with ourselves,

but only having in view the general good and
the salvation of Mexico, might propose to us
measures calculated to lead to this most desirable

end.

Your opinion about the present

state of the army,

war, will

and the future operations of

be accepted by us without hesitation,

and be executed immediately.

As we

desire

81

SIEGE OP QUEEETAEO.

that this serious deliberation miglit be entirely

free, we have resolved that you enter into it

without our being present, and charge you to

treat this important

question conscientiously,

and in general, as it is required for the honour

of the army and the welfare of Mexico."
His Majesty then

retired,

and the council

of war constituting itself, nominated as president S. E. Greneral Don Miguel Miramon,

commander-in-chief of the infantry. The undersigned secretary then took the word, and,
complying with the orders of the Emperor, expressed himself in the following manner
"
Gentlemen, there are five opinions here
:

before you, of which H.

M.

the

Emperor has

spoken to you. The first proposes a retreat

with the whole army, together with our artillery

and

the second will only save the army,

but spike the guns, and give up the whole
materiel of war and means of tra,nsportation ;
train

the third will continue the defence of the place

with the whole army ; the fourth proposes to
divide the

army

into

two eaual

parts, of

which

one should continue the defence of the place,

the other to go to Mexico, to bring up from
thence reinforcements, in order to compel the

enemy

to raise the siege

the

fifth will

charge a

small reserve with the safety of the important

person of the Emperor, in the case of a disaster.

82

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

and that one of

command

his generals be

in chief the

appomted to

whole army, in order to

attack the main force of the enemy.

"After having communicated to you these

different opinions, of which one is mine, I must
explain to the council of
gave it to the Emperor.

"

war the reasons why

His Majesty asked me whether we

should endeavour to retreat with our whole artillery and train, or give up these two latter, I had

When

the honour to declare to the sovereign that the

former proposition appeared to me bad, but the

would be equal to a
defeat prepared by our own hands, by which we
would demorahze our army, and thus ruin
definitively ourselves and the national cause.
" Should we be
in the
of

latter still worse,

as it

necessity
placed
of
above
all,
and,
spiking our artilretreating,
to me, as I told His Majesty, to
lery, it seemed

be preferable to leave here a reserve to save the

Emperor, and that the army be given to one of
our generals, in order to attack the main force
of the enemy with all decision. In this case, if
a defeat should happen, it would occur only
after having tried to save our country and our
army, but not appear as an act resolved on and

executed by ourselves. I do not believe that

we have already arrived at the necessity of
giving up the place, as

we may

still

retreat

83

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

manner or the other. There are still

provisions and forage for a considerable time
in one

though the state of the park, after a siege

of fourteen days, and a valiant defence like
that of the 17th,

is

not so satisfactory as might

be desirable, yet it is still better provided

than at the time when the enemy appeared in
our front, as may be seen from the statement

which I submit to the council of war, and

which is drawn up with the most scrupulous

For

exactness.

all

these reasons,

am

of

opinion that the defence of the place should be

continued, and that in an extreme case the

enemy should be attacked with

decision, instead

of endeavouring to undertake a most dangerous

and barren retreat."

General

lows

''

Don Eamon Mendez

About the

discussion, I have

difficult

spoke as

question

no opinion of

my

under

own, and,

therefore, I will subscribe to that of the

jority,

and do what

After him

it

fol-

ma-

resolves."

Don

Severo Castillo, chief of the

second division of infantry, took up the word,

and

'*

a park
sufficient for a certain time, I declare that I do
not see any danger, and am of opinion that we
said

Provided that there

is

should maintain our present position, having in

view exclusively its defence, until the moment

when we

shall

be attacked by the enemy, in

84

SIEGE OF QUERETARO.

which case the same

In

doubt.

this

case

be repulsed without
to throw our

will

we have

columns against the Cerro San Gregorio, and,

profiting

by the confusion of

their retreat, to

endeavour to outflank their position.

I do not

prudent to attack the lines of the insurgents at the present moment, as, both in

judge

it

regard to the strong position occupied by the

enemy, and the small number which we could

employ

for the purpose of an attack, its success

might be doubtful. However, if this state of

things should be prolonged indefinitely, altered
circumstances must of course alter this decision, as necessity

and our best interests may

require."

General

Don

Saniago Vidaurri, deputy of

the department of war and finance, with His
Majesty, expressed himself in

terms

"
:

We

but, at the

must

persist in

the

following
the defensive ;

same time, destroy the

force of the

enemy to the left of the Cerro de la Campana,

and occupy ourselves with the means of extricating ourselves from the present position,
above all, if the present circumstances should
gi'ow worse."

General

Don Thomas

Mejia, general-in-chief

of the cavalry, declared

tinuation of the defence.
:

offer

*'

am

for the con-

Should the enemy

later an opportunity to defeat them, we

85

SIEGE OF QUERETAEO.

must

avail ourselves of

it,

and,

if

possible,

draw

reinforcements from Mexico."

General Don Leonardo Marquez, chief of tlie
" I concur in
general staff, spoke as follows
everything with the opinion just expressed."
:

Don Miguel Miramon, chief of

declared
"I also concur with

General
infantry,

two

last opinions.

We

shall,

the
the

however, have to

occupy ourselves with the task of defeating the

enemy on the roads of Celaya and San Juanico,
and,

if

our present situation should continue, to

attack San Gregorio in force."

After the council of war had thus decided
the defence of the place, and rejected the idea of giving it up, and had declared
against retreating, either with the whole artillery
to continue

with spiking the former and giving

up the latter, the chief of the general staff
proceeded to the apartments of His Majesty the

and

train, or

Emperor, to inform him that the council of

war had discussed and come to an agreement
about the questions submitted to them.

The Emperor thereupon came at once to the

place where the council of war was assembled.
The sovereign had been meanwhile in great inThe two hours during which the
quietude.
discussion lasted were passed

by His Majesty in

great anxiety. The undersigned secretary hastened to submit the different points of the

86

SIEGE OF QUEEETARO.

present record.

From

was made known to

tlie

tlie first

opinion whicli

Emperor

lie

abandoned

himself to a sincere and ever increasing gladness.

As soon as lie had been informed of the collective opinion of the council of war, the sovereign

declared that he accepted with grateful pleasure

what had been decided upon. " Our wishes
and hopes," he said, "were entirely in accord
^

with your opinion. However in doubt whether

you might not think a retreat convenient, and
considering our promise

your

freely

made

decision we

to you, to accept
passed two hours in

Now we

accede not only to the

excellent idea of continuing the defence of the

real agony.

place, but also to all inferior points referring to

the different opinions.

After a short discussion

To disembarrass

1.

Cerro de
2.

la

it

the

was resolved
left

wing of the

Campana.

To put in action the whole force of mounted

guerillas against the rear of the

3.

the

To come

question,

enemy.

to a conclusion in reference to

whether

reinforcements

from

Mexico were to be brought up.

4. To resolve on a simple method, proposed

by the

chief of the general staff, to provide for

the pay of the army.

Finally,

His Majesty the Emperor declared

war as closed, and charged the

the council of

SIEGE OP QUERETAEO.

secretary of the same to draw

record, and to have it signed

who formed

87

tlie present
the
generals
by

up

the council.

Maximiliano, General-in-chief of the

Army.
The General commanding the infantry,
Miguel Mieamon.
The General Deputy of the Secretary
of War and Finance (vacant)
The General commanding the Cavalry,
Thomas Mejia.
The General commanding the Second
.

Division of Infantry, Seveeo Castillo.

The General commanding the Brigade

of Keserve, Ramon Mendez.
The Commander-in-chief and SecreR.
Council, Men.
tary of the
Aeellano.
It will be seen that Yidaurri

did not sign.

was signed

On
by

and Marquez

I therefore suppose this record

after

they had

the 21st, General

left

Queretaro.

Miramon was informed

his spies, that in the village

San Juanico, a

league from Queretaro, reinforcements of artillery, ammunition, arms, and four hundred waggons, with provisions, and several herds of
cattle,

had

arrived.

88

SIEGE OP QUEBETAEO.

In consequence of this news, I received

orders to be with, the Cazadores and Tiradores,

and

my

battery, at the Cerro

Campana, next

morning, at five o'clock, and to take Juanico.

The whole cavalry, under Mejia, was to protect

my right, and
my left flank.
On
dawn.

the cavalry regiment of Quiroga

the 22nd,

The

we were

accordingly ready at
Cazadores constituted the advanced

guard, the battery was taken in the middle,

and the Tiradores marched in the rear.

We

advanced on the road to Celaya, which leads

The road is planted with
directly to Juanico.

and to its right is the Rio Blanca.

At a distance of about ten minutes from the
village we met the outposts of the enemy,
whom we followed close on their heels. The
trees,

infantry at the entrance of the village retired

precipitately, and we pursued them to an open

where they made some resistance. But

we did not give them time to form I called
" Viva il
out,
Emperador !" and the Cazadores

place,

rushed upon them with their bayonets.

Major Pitner and myself were at their
I rode, on that day, not my piebald
head.
little stallion, which was struck
by
a bullet in his head, and fell on his knees, but
recovered directly, and went on again. The

horse, but a

enemy

did not hke cold steel, and fled to the

89

SIEGE OP QUERETAEO.

large Hacienda de Juanico, at

village, the

Liberal

tlie

end of

tlie

headquarters of the commanding

officer.

The regiment Quiroga, which protected my

left flank, and marched outside the village, was
somewhat ahead of my column, and arrived
before us at the hacienda.

It

made a good

charge against the cavalry standing there and

at the same time Mejia advanced on the open
The enemy did not show
plain to my right.
;

much

resistance,

and retired to the woods be-

hind the hacienda, which latter

Here we took possession of the

we

entered.

office

of the

commanding officer,
papers, and
amongst them a statement of the whole army
with

all

its

But, to our great regret,

the artillery and greatest part of the probefore

Queretaro.

had been distributed already amongst

army, and we captured only twenty-

visions

the

waggons with corn, a great quantity of

arms, and many oxen, cows, goats, and
four

sheep.

At our

men

right stood about eight thousand

of the enemy's cavalry, against

opened

fire

with

my

whom

battery, placed near the

we collected our booty, protected on our left flank by the regiment Quiroga,
and on our right by the Tiradores, Mejia' s
cavalry stood opposite that of the enemy, at a

hacienda.

Whilst

90

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

short distance, but neither of the parties

felt

inclined to attack.

As our

expedition had succeeded as well as

commenced my

could be, I

retreat,

in the rear with the Cazadores.

remaining

Where a bridge

leads over a brook which crosses the road of

Celaya, I halted, in order to protect the retreat

of Mejia, who crossed the Eio Blanca at a ford
to

my

At

right.

the same time,

my battery,

which was placed at the other side of the

bridge, and also the artillery from the Cerro de
la

Campana kept

When

distance.

Cazadores, I

the

enemy

at a respectful

I passed the bridge with the

met General Miramon, who cheered

the battalion and their leader.

At the Cerro de la Campana we found the

Emperor, who thanked his Zouaves of Mexico,
and I rode

to
p.m.
where a

it

was between noon and one o'clock

the

skilful

above-mentioned

German

the bullet out of

my

coffee-house,

veterinary surgeon cut

horse's head.
It had

entered in an oblique direction, and struck over

the eye of the animal.

In consequence of the council of war on

20th March, the Emperor had resolved that

Marquez, who was made lieutenant-general of

the empire, should go to Mexico, to bring from
there all troops he could collect, and as much

money

as possible, to Quer^taro.

He was

ex-

91

SIEGE OF QUEEETAKO.

do main
pressly forbidden to undertake any coup
or other expedition, but was bound to return as

Before all the generals assembled, Marquez gave his luord of honour to return
to Queretaro within a fortnight, coute que coute !

soon as possible.

With Marquez was

go General Yidaurri,
who had been appointed secretary of war and

finance,

to

with the presidency in the Cabinet.

to be escorted by the excellent regi-

Both were

ments Quiroga and No. 5

sand one hundred horse.

On the 23rd,

together, one thou-

shortly after midnight,

and Yidaurri started with their

staff

Marquez
and escort,

marched between the Cerro Cimatario and El

Jacal, over the hills, and taking the road over
Tuluca, arrived safely in Mexico. In the place
of Marquez, the Emperor made General Castillo
adjutant-general of the army, and deputy se-

His division was

cretary of war in the field.
given to my former brigadier-general, Yaldez.
The march of General Marquez produced great
excitement in the enemy's camp, for it was
said that the Emperor had gone with him, and
a large cavalry force was sent after them, as
learned, a few days later.

we

day the Liberals were considerably

reinforced by the Generals Riva Palacio, MarThis

and Carebajal. The latter was not our

old acquaintance from Tulancingo, but a general

tinez,

92

SIEGE OF QUERETAEO.

of division,
bandits.

who had been

The army

formerly a chief of
of the Liberals, increased

by them, amounted now to above forty thousand

men, with about seventy to eighty guns and
;

by the different engagements,

and by the troops which had left with Marquez,

ours, diminished

mustered only six thousand five hundred men,

with forty guns. It was, however, somewhat
recruited by deserters and prisoners, who took
service with the

Emperor.

On the evening of the 23rd, we were informed by a man from the hacienda where
Escobedo's headquarters were, and

whom

the

Liberals had made furious by taking everything

he possessed, that there had been held in the
afternoon a council of war, at which was re-

by a majority of two-thirds, to make a

very energetic attack next morning, as it was
supposed that the troops which had left with
solved,

the Emperor must have very much weakened

the garrison. Unfortunately, the man could
not tell anything of the dispositions made for
this attack.

On

the 24th, early in the morning, the signal

officer on duty on the tower of the cruz, re-

ported the enemy in force moving with infantry,

cavalry, and artillery from the heights of the

Cuesta China towards

the

Cerro Cimatario,

where the Liberal columns took up a

position.

93

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

In consequence of this, I received at ten

from General Mendez to

o'clock a.m., orders

on the river and to proceed to

the Alameda, where I found the Tiradores placed
behind the wall enclosing that promenade. Bequit

my position

fore

this wall,

in the middle,

was planted a

battery for three guns, and a fourth stood at the

The Tiradores
right corner of the Alameda.

not belong any longer to my brigade.

Colonel Miramon, who did not like to serve

did

under the command of a foreigner, had managed

by the influence of his brother, to have a brigade
of two battalions

made up

I occupied, with

for him.

my 2nd battalion of line, the

trenches from the corner of the Alameda to

Casa Blanca, where Mendez placed

battery, and remained with the rest of
the

my
my

brigade in the Alameda.

All the batteries of the enemy now opened
fire against the city, and at the same time we

saw from the movements of the enemy on the

hill, that an attack against the right corner of
the Alameda was intended.

A column of

about six thousand men, under

General Martinez, supported by the fire of the
batteries,

advanced with great resolution.

They

were newly arrived troops, and had been assured

that they would have easy work with us.

As

they thus advanced they looked very

D4

SIEGE OF QUERETAEO.

All of

well.

them wore white

linen trousers

and

jackets, with patches of differently- coloured cloth,

to

show the regiment

to which they belonged.

In action they looked always uncommonly clean,

for

it

was

their

habit to

wash

their clothes

As they had

only one suit, you

might see them stalking about in the camp in 'a
before

it.

half or entirely

Adamite costume, whilst waiting

for their clothes to dry.

At

the order of General

Miramon

de-

my brigade from the Alameda,

passed over a small bridge there, and formed
bouched with

in line to receive the Liberals.

them

to advance until they

We

permitted

were a hundred and

paces from us ; but then they received from

three sides a tremendous shower of canister and
fifty

bullets

which astonished them so much, that

they very promptly faced about.

At the same moment the regiment of the

Empress, commanded now by Colonel Don Pedro

Gonzales, rushed upon them, made several hundred prisoners, and only retired when the muchscattered column reached the summit of the

was protected by the

great mass of infantry which had taken up
The brown acre before the
position there.
Cerro Cimatario, where

it

Alameda was densely covered with dead and

wounded, whose white dresses formed a striking
contrast with the dark ground.

95

SIEGE OF QUEHETAKO.

As dense columns

of infantry were seen

moving along the Cimatario towards its western
tliat tliey intended a
slope, it was supposed

renewed attack against the Garita Pueblito and

the Casa Blanca. I therefore received orders
from General Mendez to march with
to

these places,

mained in

my

brigade

Miramon

whilst Colonel

re-

his former position behind the walls

of the Alameda.

Without communicating with me, General

Miramon withdrew my second battalion from
the trenches, where I had ordered them, and
relieved them

by the Cazadores,

in a parallel direction with the

now marched
enemy, and when
I

made front on the broad road which leads

down from the western slope of the Cimatario,

they

past the Casa Blanca to the Garita de Puebhto,

It was now obvious, that
I made front also.

enemy intended to attack us here, and

General Mendez gave me orders to defend the

the

Casa Blanca.
This place consisted of a solid stone barn
close to the road, and next to the enemy.
The
space before it was overgrown with cactus plants.

Forty paces behind that barn was the Casa

Blanca itself, also built of solid stone, and close
to it, towards the Alameda was a yard, or
corral,

surrounded with a stone wall.

I placed the 2nd and 5th battalions of the line

96
in

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

and near

tlie

barn, and in the Casa Blanca

whilst the battalion

where

at the garita,

battery was placed, in such a

as to rake the above-mentioned road

also

manner

Zamora stood

my

The 14th battalion of the line I

kept in reserve, and General Mend ez placed at its
side one hundred and twenty horse under Major
from the

hill.

Malburg.
After an overture of the artillery by both
parties, the columns of the Liberals commenced

moving at three o'clock p.m. The foremost

column consisted of four thousand men, and
that which followed of six thousand.
The white columns came with great courage
down the broad road, which was not protected
on either side, and permitted our guns from the
Alameda and the garita to pour their shots into
the dense mass of the enemy, which was done
with great precision, especially from the garita,
where General Arellano was liimself present.

The composure and bravery of the enemy

under

this raking fire,

were indeed admirable ;

but when their column came up to within four

hundred paces of us, and was overshowered here

by a hail of canister, they began to waver.

They recovered, however, promptly, and advanced two hundred paces more, when to the
of our artillery, volley after volley from
our infantry was added. They again wavered.

fire

97

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

and we expected to see them turn about. It

was a thrilKng moment, and comparing our
small number witli their many thousands, some
doubt about the issue might well be permitted.
The enemy stopped, but their officers jumped
out in advance of the column

their brave be-

haviour again encouraged the soldiers

they
rushed on in double quick, and succeeded in
;

reaching the barn before the Casa Blanca.

There stood the 2nd battalion of the line

imder Colonel Madrigal. I rode up to him, and

*'
The Casa Blanca must be held under all
said,
circumstances, even

if

we should

all

be buried

here, for with the occupation of this place the

would be lost." The brave colonel answered

" The
confidently,
enemy must yield, or we will

city

all

die here."

Although

had much confidence

in

the

bravery of the gallant colonel, I was still afraid

that he might have to give up that place, overwhelmed by superior force. My anxiety in that
trying moment was so great, that the perspiration rolled down my forehead, and I ordered

the reserve to advance.

The place to which the enemy had advanced

was not tenable; they had either to go ahead
or to retreat.
At that critical moment, on
hung the fate of the city. Genera
Arellano jumped from his horse, pointed a gun
which

TOL,

I.

98

SIEGE OF QUBEETARO.

himself against the densest crowd of the enemy,

and poured into them a hail of canister, which
at this short distance did fearful execution.

the same

At

moment the brave Major Malburg, with

detachment of horse, swept round the house

and attacked the enemy on their left flank.

his

The

effect of the canister,

and the sudden

attack of the cavalry, whose number was probably over-rated, was too much. The Liberals

were seized with a sudden panic and

fled.

Now

the battalion Madrigal was not to be checked

any longer.
They rushed out from their so

bravely-defended position, and commenced a

dreadful slaughter with their bayonets and the
stocks of their guns, together with Malburg's
cavalry, until a superior force of Liberal cavalry

appeared for the protection of the defeated

column.

Major Malburg captured a standard, and he

and the 2nd battalion made several hundreds

About one thousand five hundred

dead and wounded covered the battle-field,
of prisoners.

which looked as

if

a large flock of sheep were

resting on it. Behind the barn lay, in the foremost line of the dead, ten officers of the enemy,

amongst them the gallant Colonel Mercador,

who led the van of the attacking column.

Our

loss was, comparatively speaking, small,

as the Liberal

column attacked us with the

SIEGE OF QUEEETARO.

99

bayonet, and even the guns, and tlie higher

standing reserves had to stop their fire when we

came

General Miramon was

to close quarters.

engagement, and held the

present during this

position near the garita.

The enthusiasm of the troops was tremendous when the Emperor appeared on the battleground. He rode up to me and pressed my
hand. He had tears in his eyes, and was so
deeply agitated that he could not speak but
;

he whispered three words which made me

happier than any decoration whatever could
have done words that will re-echo in my

memory and
also

was

utter a

so

heart until the end of

much

afiected that

single word, but

my

life.

I could not

silently kissed that

generous hand which rested in mine. Only he

who has experienced such moments can understand the feelings produced by them
not to be described.
Colonel

Miramon remained

they are

in the

Alameda,
and trenches from there to the chapel San Franoccupied the line to the
right from the Alameda until beyond the Grarita
Pueblito.
The other troops remained in their

cisquito.

My brigade

respective positions.

General Mendez had his headquarters in the

Casa Blanca, and I occupied the same room with
him.

Tliis offered

me

the best opportunity for

100

SIEGE OF QUEEETARO.

a nearer acquaintance witli this distinguislied

chief. He, Castillo, Mejia, Escobar, and Yaldez
belonged to those Mexican generals who were
not jealous about the partiality the Emperor
showed me ; for envy and jealousy are not the

Germans in America,
Whilst the other generals
with a certain reserve, those I have

exclusive qualities of the

who are noted

treated

me

for

it.

me

not only
great cordiality, but also regarded with atten-

named, on the contrary, showed

Mendez entreated me to
suggestions.
induce the Emperor to leave Queretaro, where
tion

my

we

could only lose life and honour. In all his

conversations he showed a relentless hostility to

Miramon.
During the night the enemy had removed
some of his wounded nearest to them. When I
heard next morning the moaning and cries of
the

wounded

out with six

in front of our trenches, I

men

to take in as

and to carry them to our

many as

hospitals.

went

possible,

When

was nearly captured

by ten or twelve horsemen of the enemy, who
chased me. I ran through the prickly cactus,
as I never did in all my life before, and when I
ventured a

little

too

far, I

safely arrived inside the trenches,! hterally

broke

down utterly exhausted. As we were fired at

when we went out again for the same merciful
purpose, we could not but leave the poor

101

SIEGE OF QUERETARO.

wounded

to die a miserable

death.

Had

Liberals only evinced the desire to take

their wounded, we should have assisted

with

all

the

away
them

our hearts.

In a day or two the smell from the dead

before us became so intolerable, that I had them

up in heaps during the night and burned

by means of wood placed around them. The
enemy, who did not know what we were about,
piled

fired furiously into the

burning faneral piles.

In the evening of the 25th March, the
enemy again made one of their usual attacks
against the bridge, and was as usual repulsed.
On that day the Emperor ordered that all the
disposable troops should be employed at the
fortifications.
He himself directed the building
of those at the cruz, and exposed himself freSeveral
quently to the musketry of the enemy.
houses on the other side of the river, which

were occupied by the enemy, were destroyed

day by our artillery.

were now closely encircled by the lines
of the enemy, who even occupied some parts of

this

We

the

city,

as will

be seen on the plan.

The

Liberals also took care to strengthen their for-

and employed for this purpose about

one thousand Indians, who seemed not to like
their work at all, and whom I frequently saw

tifications,

run away when our gunshots

fell

amongst them.

102

SIEGE OP QUEEETARO.

They worked,

however,

mostly during

the

night.

The

was every day bombarded, and our

trenches were closely watched by sharpshooters,

who

city

a head appeared above

I believe that for this service the one

fired

them.

as soon as

Americans, who served in the

"
army of the enemy under the name of a Legion
of Honour," and commanded by a Colonel Green,

hundred and

fifty

were employed.

Not only the

soldiers,

but the citizens also,

had to undergo many dangers, and the ungallant

bullets did not even respect the weaker sex. On
the 12th a poor woman was killed by a piece
of a shell. Another woman, who carried her

baby Mexican fashion on her back, received a

through her neck, which killed both

bullet

mother and
ing I saw a

band

From the door of my lodgwoman, who had brought her hus-

child.

his dinner, killed

by a

bullet.

The

first

thing the unfeeling wretch did was to dive with

his hand into the bosom of his poor wife, not to

whether her heart was

feel

secure her

money and

still

beating, but to

cigarets,

which they
then he

always hide in that part of the dress

body away without losing time on

lamentations, and I even believe that he lighted
carried the

first

a cigaret.

During the night from the 27th to the 28th

103

SIEGE OF QUEEBTAEO.

skirmishing was going on everywhere along the Hne. Towards morning the
of March,

and I had

trenches.

asleep in the
Suddenly, on being shaken at the

arm by my

aide, I

firing

ceased,

fallen

awoke, and

still

rubbing

my

saw before me the Emperor, with a

face.
Oh, he had such a kind, benevosmiling
lent smile, which warmed every heart.
In this
eyes, I

manner, without an aide or orderly, armed only

with his inseparable little glass, he used to visit
the trenches during the night or in daytime.
As he knew the Mexican officers, and that they
not only maltreated their soldiers, but also de-

prived them of part of their pay and allowances,

he was in the habit of asking them whether they

had received their pay and rancho. This care

had a very good effect, and was so new and
flattering to the

soldiers that they loved the

Emperor for it, especially as he shared with

them all dangers and privations. I offered to
accompany His Majesty, but he declined in a
friendly manner, and continued his dangerous
tour of inspection alone.
In the afternoon the Emperor came again,
but on horseback, followed by his suite, and the

enemy, who must have recognized him, complimented the party with a number of shells.

He

dismounted at the Casa Blanca, and sat

down in our room with Mendez, smoking a

104

SIEGE OF QUERETAEO.

cigar, wliicli the general offered him.

When

he

went away he told me

to come every day at two

o'clock p.m. to the cruz to see him, if nothing

particular retained

me

in the trenches.

The Emperor considered

it

as a sacred duty

frequently to visit the hospitals, to comfort and

encourage the wounded, and to look that they

were properly taken care of. As he became

aware that the Mexican surgeons were very
negligent, he appointed his physician. Dr. S.
Basch, inspector-general of
this

gentleman

skill

as zeal.

fulfilled his

all

hospitals,

and

duty with as much

When

General Marquez left Queretaro he

promised to send news every day, but strange to
say, not one of his messengers had yet arrived ;

however, the Emperor was far from suspecting anything wrong from this circumstance.

On the 30th
was

of March, an order of the

read, ordering

all officers

Emperor
recommended for

decorations to assemble on the Plaza de la Cruz

at four o'clock p.

All colonels and subaltern

stood there in

officers

rank

m.

according to their

line,

and before them,

also according to their

rank, stood in another

line,

mon,

Mendez, Arellano, and

Castillo,

Mejia,

the Generals Mira-

a special order of the Emperor I

had also to take my place in this line.
Valdez.

By

All the gentlemen in the

first line

received

105

SIEGE OF QUEKETAEO.

the bronze medal for valour, wliicli

tlie

Emperor

himself attached to the breast of every one,

Sfivinsf him at the same time the Mexican embrazo.

"When

Emperor, he

turn came, and I thanked the

my

"

said,

know how much

and how much I love you.

Salm, you

am

attached to you,
I should like to do more for you, but cannot at
the present moment."
This related, as he told
I

me

afterwards,

to his desire

of

making me

general, which he could not do in his present

critical position,

as

would have occasioned

it

discontent and jealousy amongst the Mexican

officers.

The gold and

silver

medal

for valour

was

given only to non-commissioned officers and privates ; the bronze medal could only be received

by commissioned officers, and the Emperor was

more sparing with this decoration than with
any other. The medal, which is worn on a red
ribbon,

shows on one

side the

head of the

Emperor, and on the reverse a laurel crown,

with the inscription inside, Al merito militar.

When

the other officers in the second line

going to leave,

and the Emperor was

General Miramon took from

Colonel Pradillo,

who

had been decorated

also,

carried the decorations, a

bronze medal, and approaching the Emperor,

" Your
said,
Majesty has decorated your officers

and

soldiers

as

an acknowledgment of their

106

SIEGE OP QUERETAEO.

In the
braveiy, faithfulness, and devotion.
of your Majesty's
army, I take the liberty
of bestowing this token of valour and honour to

name

the bravest of

all,

who was always

at our side

and hardships, giving us the most

in all dangers

august and

brilliant example ; a distinction

which your Majesty deserves before any other
man."
ft

The Emperor was much surprised and

by this ingenious and noble act; he
embraced the general, accepted the medal, and
affected

wore

it

from that time as his

first

and most

valued decoration; but whilst all others wore

the Emperor's head outside, his medal showed
the inscription.

The same evening the Emperor

received the

following document, very handsomely written

on vellum

Headqtjaktebs of Queretako,

March

"

30th, 1867.

Senoe, The Mexican army, defending the

city of Queretaro,

under your immediate com-

mand, and which

represented by the subscribed

is

generals, request your Majesty to give

them a

new token

of your generosity, by vouchsafing to

ornament your breast with the medal for mili-

tai7 merit.

Your Majesty rewards, with

this

honourable decoration, the prominent merit of

your generals,

chiefs, officers,

and

soldiers,

who

107

SIEGE OP QUEEETAEO.

fulfilment of their sacred duties will endea-

vour to imitate

tlie

heroic courage and extra-

ordinary self-sacrifice with which your Majesty

endures these constant hardships.
" No monarch has ever descended from the
height of his throne under similar circumstances,
to endure with his soldiers, as we here see it,

the greatest dangers, privations, and necessities,

which do not find their equal in the world ; with
soldiers to

whom

your Majesty understood how

to give such striking examples of self-denying

Both
patriotism and endurance in sufiering.
the nation, whom your Majesty endeavours to
save and to enhance, and impartial history will
once do justice to the monarch of Mexico

Maximilian

on the

I.

The army on

afibction of their

him herewith

this

medal

their part, relying

monarch, bestow upon

for military merit.

(Signed)

" Gen. of Division and Chief of

Infantry,

" MiG. MiRAMON.

" Gen. of Division and

Chief of Cavalry,
"

"
"

Mejia.

Brig.-Gen. and Chief of the General Stafi^,

"Seveeo del Castillo.
Brig.-Gen. and Chief of Second Division of

"Pedro Valdez.

Infantry,

"

Tom

Brig.-Gen. and Chief of First Division of

Infantry,

"Eamon Mendez.

108

SIEGE OF QUEEETARO.

"

Brig. -Gen.

and Chief of
*'

Artillery,

Manuel Arellano.

"The Graduated Gen. and Chief of Engineers,

"Mar. Reyes."

On

the morning of the 31st of

ordered to go to the Emperor.

found two deserters

Alsatians,

March I was
With him I

who

formerly-

served in the Legion Etranger of France. Both

belonged to the Liberal artillery, and had arrived
before Queretaro only the day before, and their
battery was still in the reserve.

The Emperor requested me to examine these

two men, and write down what they said, which
I did in his presence.
They said, as most deserters did, and of which I was convinced later

by

my own

observations, that the soldiers

of

the Liberals were not only treated by their

officers in a brutal manner, but that they also,
instead

of the promised real a-day,

received

only a medio perhaps once or twice in a week,

and that all their food consisted of corn, to

make

tortillas,

fore an

and of

frigolio (red beans).

Be-

engagement they generally received a

and a glass of liquor each. They also said

chiefs were always quarrelling with
each other, which is, however, nothing more

real

that the

than an old Mexican vice.

One of the

Alsatians,

whose name was Muth

109

SIEGE OP QUERETAEO.

was a tall, powerful, and very intelligent man. About the position of the batteries
on the Cerro San Gregorio he could, however,
(courage),

give no information ; but wishing to enter our

army and to win our good will, he offered to re-

turn to the Liberal

everything

we

camp and endeavour

desired.

He

to find

promised to return

As

to Queretaro at twelve o'clock that night.

he was known to none amongst the troops on

San Gregorio, he might easily loiter there about
under the pretext of collecting wood.
The Emperor seemed to distrust this proposition ; but I represented to him that the worst

which could happen would be, that the man did

not return, for what he could tell the enemy
about our city was very well known to them
outside by their spies in the city.
The Emperor consenting, I gave this
five piastres, told

him that

man

I accepted his pro-

position, but would retain his comrade as a

hostage, and have him shot, if he did not return
until

noon next day.

whispered into
not do."

my ear,

The Emperor smilingly

" But which we
certainly

will

now

led the

man myself

to our foremost

works, and ordered the astonished soldiers not

to fire

on him when he should return from his

mission, either in the day or in the night.

I remained in the cruz,

and ordered to

re-

110

SIEGE OE QUEEETARO.

port to

happen.
tian

me

at once if anything particular should

At about

half-past nine p.m.,

was brought before me by a

reported as follows

He had

my Alsa-

patrol,

and

not been able to run over the whole

San Gregorio, as

had begun
but he had seen

his loitering about

to excite a dangerous suspicion,

on the eastern end of the hill two batteries,

behind solid stone works, protected by infantry

standing on the northern slope of the hill ; and
that two mountain guns were
an advanced position close to the
He offered, if I desired
chapel San Trinidad.
it, to lead me through the gardens of the suburb

furthermore,

placed in

San Luis,

to the place before the church

San

Sebastian, and thence to the chapel San Trinidad and the San Gregorio.
On this news, the Emperor resolved to

attack this position during the following night,

in order to take at least the two advanced guns.

To

this

end he sent

for

Miramon, whilst I

re-

me

the

turned to the Casa Blanca, taking with

courageous Alsatian.

Next morning, at two o'clock, I was awakened, and received from General Miramon the
order to be with the Cazadores, in the Calle
Miraflores, at three o'clock, to report myself to

Valdez, and wait for him.

When

I reported myself therefore to Valdez

Ill

SIEGE OF QUEEETARO.

he ordered

battalion of the municipal guards

tlie

of Mexico, under Colonel

guez, to join me, as also
talion Celaya,

who were

Don Joaquin Rodrithe batfifty men of

quartered in the

Meson

Sebastian, and knew well the ground around.

General Miramon came at four o'clock a.m.,

and we then entered a room, where

he, by help
of
the
map
country, explained his plan,
which was modified according to my sugges-

of a

tions,

and then he gave me the following

structions

He was

to

command

the sally himself.

in-

was to go from the open place opposite the

bridge through the gardens behind the houses
to the place before the church San Sebastian,
which was occupied by the Liberals. Without

taking any notice of the proceedings of the

enemy behind me, I was to advance to the
chapel San Trinidad and take it, together with
the two guns there.
This done, I was directed
to storm the

two

batteries

on Cerro San Gre-

gorio, and then sweep its ridge (he spoke

French, and used the expression "balayer").

He

promised to follow with a brigade and to

support me, and that another brigade should
chase the enemy from the suburb San Luis.
General Miramon seemed to be very fond of

giving instructions for such nightly adventures.

Some days previously, he had ordered me to be

112

SIEGE OP QUEEETARO.

with

my

Cazadores in the Calle Miraflores at

moonshine reconnaissance. I
was on the spot, and waited until three o'clock
midniglit, for a

a.m.,

and as the moon had

about this

set

time, I sent to ask what I was to do.

his

He

or

aides had, however, overslept themselves,

which had already occurred before. Miramon's

aides were very severely reprimanded by the
Emperor.

When

support were ready behind me.

had to pass through houses and gardens,

troops for

As we

I passed the bridge, I saw that the

my

our servants had orders to lead the horses of

the field-ofl&cers and aides behind the reserve

brigade until they should be wanted.

Without creating an alarm, we came through

houses and gardens to the place before the
church San Sebastian, and I formed there as
troops for the attack.
The Cazadores and the fifty men of Celaya were
at the head of the column under Major Pitner,
silently as

possible

my

and I followed with the municipal guard.

Scarcely had we finished forming before we
were discovered at

last,

and received

the church San Sebastian.

to take any notice of

But

as

fire

from

we were not

what might occur behind

The
Liberal company placed near the chapel San

us,

we commenced running up

Trinidad

fled

in

dismay, and

the

hill.

the two guns

113

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

which they were placed there to guard, had not

even time to fire. Major Pitner himself was
at once at one, and Captain Maier, of the first

company, a Tyrolean, at the other. We captured, with the guns, their ammunition and

and some baggage besides. I sent all

that directly to the rear, and granted my solhorses,

diers a few minutes' rest, as they

were out of

breath from the hard run up hill.

Our attack, so far behind the

fi:'ont

line

of

the enemy, came quite unexpectedly upon them,

especially to General Adrillon, commanding
there,

and quartered in the chapel, together

with Colonel Yillanueva, of Escobedo's stafi".

Both these ofiicers were in bed, and had to run
for their lives

through the prickly cactus plants,

barefooted and in their shirts.

Whilst I was forming

my men

for the attack

against the higher batteries, and day dawning,

I saw two Cazadores drag a woman along, who

defended herself vehemently. I made my blade

dance on the backs of these miscreants, and
chased them to their places in the ranks. The
poor woman was so delighted with her deliverance, that she repeatedly embraced me ; but I
am sorry to say I do not even know whether

she was old or young, ugly or handsome.

Our servants with our horses had been
able to follow our column,

and we were very

114

SIEGE OF QUERETARO.

glad to have them.

delay,

After a short but necessary-

we stormed San

Pit-

Major

Gregorio.

ner was in advance, with one company of the

Cazadores, but arriving on the crest of the hill,

he was checked in
canister,

and the

his

rush by a greeting of

of two battalions, placed

fire

there in readiness for our reception. The major

himself escaped with a deep flesh-wound in the
fleshy part of the arm,

coat-button, torn

off"

much from

and the

loss of a waist-

by a bullet

but his

men

heavy fire. They had

to give way, and, pushed towards the right by
an overwhelming number, they were separated
sufiered

fi*om

this

me.

Under

these circumstances.

Major Pitner

thought it best to retreat down the hill, in

which he succeeded, after a great deal of
trouble.

The major, a rather

regretted

very much

stout

that his

young man,

horse had not

come also, for this running up and down the

He
hill was too much for his fat constitution.
have
fallen
and
would
was utterly exhausted,
into the hands of the enemy, had not his good
luck led to his finding a Liberal mule, which
saved liim. Without any other impediment, he
reached, with the rest of his company, the river,

which ho forded.
General Miramon,

who had promised

low me, was with his brigade

still

to fol-

on the place

115

SIEGE OE QUERETAEO.

before

tlie

bridge,

enemy between

and skirmishing

us.

resolute charge, he

As he

did

witli

not

the

make a

of course could not

fol-

low me.

Though it was now bright

daylight,

and the

Liberals perfectly prepared, and though I did

not see the promised reserve behind me, I

determined at least to try to fulfil Miramon's

"
"
instruction, to
sweep San Gregorio.
I therefore made the attempt to carry the
batteries,

was
and

but the enemy which received us there

and his position so advantageous,

his fire so murderous, that loe were swept
down the hill, until the chapel De la Cruz del
so strong,

Cerro, the position of which, at the outskirts of

the suburb San Luis, I described on another
occasion.

Not seeing anything of our reserve, and

surrounded everywhere by superior masses of
the enemy, to whom the bright day betrayed
our numerical weakness, I thought it best to
think of a retreat before the enemy's disposi-

made it impossible.
To this end I marched

tions

in a western direc-

reach the street leading from the height

to the place before the bridge; the same in
tion, to

which the

rifled

gun was placed which we took

On my way there, I had

on the 14th of March.

to sustain a heavy fire on

my

left flank

from the

116

SIEGE OF QUEEETAEO.

houses at the end of the suburb, and when I

turned in the street, I received the fire in fii-ont.
It

was now

was in a rather
which might become fatal,

certain that I

dangerous position,
and I think my longing for the arrival of the

was very natural. To hasten this, I

sent my aide to Miramon, but he soon returned,
and told me it was beyond possibility to reach
reserve

the general, as all the passages were barred.

The enemy followed him on his heels, and I
received

fire fi:'om all

four sides.

Under

these

circumstances nothing was left me to do but to

enter the street, and to rush through it as fast
as possible.

we met with was a breastwork.

This was taken, and we rushed on.
When we passed a cross street, we received fire
The

first

from both
barricade.
fire fi:"om

had

obstacle

sides,

and saw before us another

There was no help we received now

all sides, and the second breastwork
;

to be stormed also,

these

breastworks

structed in a

and was stormed.

All

were

con-

across

manner so

streets

as to leave

open a

passage for one man abreast. Tliat at the first

barrier was wide enough to let me pass with my
horse, but, at the second, this was an impossibility,

and I had to dismount.

The courageous

Muth, and my servant, were always

close by me, and the latter reached past my

Alsatian,

117

IEGE OP QUERETAEO.

breast to take
bis

tlie

bridle of

arm was struck by a

my

bullet,

stallion,

when

which otherwise

would have entered

horse up as
in saving

On

lost,

it,

my breast. I gave my
but the brave fellow succeeded

and joined

me

again at the bridge.

open place before it I at last met

He
Miramon, with the two captured guns.
the

smiled at

one word

me

very graciously, but did not say

why he had left me in the lurch.

Under the protection of troops placed along

the opposite bank of the river, and the guns

we passed the bridge, pressed hard by

dense masses of the enemy, who tried to enter

there,

with us into the

city,

but without success,

The

noon; I remained with

my combined brigade, and returned with my
Cazadores to the Casa Blanca only next
fight here lasted until

morning.
It is true,

we had taken two guns, but they

We

could not
were rather dearly paid for.
think of carrying with us our dead and wounded,
who were barbarously murdered. The Liberals

house opposite, which reached to the river,

attached a lasso to the neck of the corpses, and
in a

them down into the river, singing out to us,

" There are
your cabrones." The brave Alsatian, Muth, who had never left me during the

let

whole expedition, was made a corporal in the

Cazadores.

SIEGE OP QUEEETAEO.

118

Had Miramon
brigades, as

lie

followed with

intended to do,

tlie

we

two other

should have

taken the whole San Gregorio. The Mexicans

cannot resist a vigorous attack but that was just
;

Miramon

did not attempt, as he

commanded only Mexicans, and not the Cazadores, whose impetuosity and wild cries no

the thing which

enemy in Mexico could resist.

The Liberal general whom we had disturbed
in his slumbers was removed from his command.
The colonel of Escobedo's staff, whom I saw
later, told

me

have returned

that not one of

if

longer in the street

my men would

had stopped ten minutes

with the two barricades.

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
On

the afternoon of the 3rd of April, I was

He had received bad
called to the Emperor.

news, which were doubly disagreeable, as in two

days the time was np when Marquez had pro-

Not a

mised to return.

single

messenger from

was the more

as Marquez was more than anybody

him had

and

arrived,

that

astonishing,
else in a position to send news, as he could

between

depend on

all

Queretaro.

The Emperor began

priests

Mexico
to

and

entertain

suspicions of Marquez, but whenever any words

to that effect escaped him, he checked himself,

and

"

No, no

impossible !"
Our provisions, as well as our ammunition,
now began to run short, and the Emperor could
said,

it is

not but admit that our position grew more and

more embarrassing.
To get news from Marquez seemed to be the
most essential thing, and I was ordered by the
Emperor to consult with General Mendez how
To this end we had to buy
to manage this.
spies at high prices,

and Mendez found a woman,

120

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

an Indian, and an

officer.

The

latter, if success-

was to be promoted and decorated, tlie two

others were to receive considerable rewards.
None of them returned, and we never heard
ful,

their fate.

5th
During the night from the 4th to the
of his useless
April, the enemy again made one

The Emperor
against the bridge.
visited the trenches quite alone, and, in the
afternoon of the 6th, I accompanied him on a
attacks

ride along our lines.

The 5th of April was the latest day Marquez

had fixed for his return, and we had had no
In the city, however,
tidings of him whatever.
a report was circulated that he had been beaten,
but as this could not be traced to any reliable
source, it was considered to be an invention of
the enemies of our cause in Queretaro.
On the 8th April there was great excitement

on the

cruz, for

it

had been noticed that masses

of the enemy's troops

moved over the Cuesta

was beheved
that Marquez was approaching; but this was
China and towards Celaya, and

it

unfortunately not the case.

Under these circumstances a council of

was held on the 2nd of

April, in

war

which various

One of them was to

propositions were made.
the
whole
break through with
army ; but this
was opposed by Mendez, who

said, as reliable as

121

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

troops were in an action, lie could not be

answerable for them in a dangerous retreat.

liis

Then

the generals, with the exception of

Miramon, proposed that the Emperor alone,
all

with the cavalry, should break through, and go

to the Sierra Gorda.

The

Sierra

Gorda

is

a wild mountain about

It is
eight leagues north-west of Queretaro.
intersected by passes which are of such a kind

as not to permit any

army

to enter, if they are

Several Liberal
only defended by a few men.
armies, who ventured to enter the Sierra Gorda,

had been annihilated there in previous years.

This wild country was the cradle of General
Mejia here he was an absolute king, and more
;

popular than any other

knew Pap Tomasito, and

man

every Indian child

at his first call every

stood to arms.

In

this

district the

Emperor had

still

general (Olvera), with one thousand or one

thousand two hundred men, and there he would

have been able to remain for months, to wait

either for better fortune or to

make

prepara-

but the Emperor

declared it "to be against his honour to leave
the army, and that he would rather die than do
tions for reaching the coast

so."

Miramon

said that the city could

still

be

held for a long time, and that we could wait for

Marquez ; and the Emperor was of his opinion,

122

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

and as lie might

Marquez must return
come at any moment, the Emperor resolved to
for

make, as soon as possible, an attack against

the Garita de Mexico, and to take and occupy
it, in order that we might be able to support

Marquez

at once, if he should

come over the

Cuesta China.

At the same time measures were taken to

provide ammunition and provisions, which was
done with tolerable success, as General Castillo
found out some concealed magazines, and
General

Arellano

manufactured

ammunition

with great ingenuity and skill. All the brimstone and saltpetre in the city was confiscated,
even that at the chemists' shops. The leaden
roof of the theatre and the bells of the churches

were transformed respectively into bullets and

cannon-balls.
Caps were manufactured from
paper in a very neat manner, and they
answered perfectly well as the weather was
stiff

always dry.

The quarrels between the Generals Miramon

and Mendez were another source of appreMendez asserted that Miramon did
hension.
not mean well by the Emperor, and worked
only for his own ambitious purposes He drew
my attention to the fact that Miramon had
recently removed several officers who were entirely

devoted to the Emperor, and replaced

123

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

them

by

to

belonging

persons

his

own

party.

When, on the

10th,

was on

my way

Mendez
really mean

to pay a visit to the Emperor, General

asked

"

me

Do you

suddenly,
honestly by the Emperor ?"
" What a
question !" I replied.

" Of course

I do."

"Well," he continued, "then

tell

him from

me

to try to get as fast as possible out of this

mousetrap, and to beware of Miramon. I am

an Indian, and the Emperor knows the

faithful-

ness and the devotion of the Indians for him,

Mejia and
myself will bring the Emperor in safety to the
If he orders, I will arrest

Miramon.

Sierra Gorda, where he will have his free wiU,

and may do as he

pleases.

follow this advice, he

may depend upon

we

shall all

When
literally

Should he not
it

that

be shot."

saw the Emperor, I repeated to him

everything Mendez had told me, but
I

he only replied, " The little stout one takes too

gloomy a view of our matters, although I believe

he means well."

Not to be obliged to pronounce names in

conversation with me, which might be overheard, the Emperor was in the habit of substituting certain sobriquets, of which the meaning
was only known to us. Mendez was called the

124

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

little

Miramon, the young general;

hlach one ; and Castillo, the honest

stout one;

Mejia, the

little

one, etc.

The Emperor
for

Miramon,

told

me

that he would send

to arrange with

him an attack

against the garita ; but I had not an idea that,

on the urgent advice of Miramon, it was to

take place on the following morning.

I received during the evening an

But when

autograph
note from Miramon, containing the order to be
with the Cazadores at the cruz at three o'clock
a.m. next morning, I at once knew for what
I
purpose this order had been sent me.
directed the Cazadores to be at once relieved

from the trenches by two companies of the 2nd

of the line, and gave orders for them to be
ready next morning at half-past two.

When I communicated my order to Mendez,

he smiled in a peculiar manner, and said, " Why
always you and the Cazadores ?" I could not
help wondering also, and having a suspicion
that Miramon might perhaps be glad to get
rid of me, as he knew my devotion to the

Emperor.
Shortly afterwards came Major Pitner, and
told me that the Cazadores were very much
dissatisfied.
They said that they had always

done their duty, and did it still with pleasure ;

but could not think it quite fair that they were

125

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

always to be used as "food for guns." I answered the major that I could not make such

remonstrances to the Emperor just before an

engagement, but that I would do so later if the
Cazadores would do their duty as usual.
On the 11th of April, at three o'clock a.m.,
I

was with the Cazadores

in the cruz,

where I

Immereported myself to General Castillo.

diately after me the Emperor entered, and
Miramon came a little later.

Miramon, Castillo,
and myself were seated at a table before a map,
whilst the Emperor walked up and down,
smoking a cigar. Miramon took the word, and
said to me, "You will attack the Garita de
Mexico, take, and hold it. I will give you one
of the best battalions, the 1st of the line, com-

manded by the

gallant Colonel Cevallos.

With

the Cazadores as an advanced guard, you will

leave the cruz through the embrasure of the

battery on

its

left

flank,

and take the road

leading underneath the aqueduct to the garita.

Near that road, on this side of the aqueduct,
stands a house occupied by the

you

will take.

Then you

will

the Garita de Mexico, and take

it

enemy which
march against

by storm.

As

far as I

know, you will find there four guns

and three battalions of the enemy. Your right

by the regiment Empress under Colonel Gonzales, and the hussars

flank will be protected

126

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

under Captain Pawlowski, wlio will march on

the road leading directly to the garita."

look on the

even one

who

map

will

show every one,

does not understand

much about

military matters, that these dispositions were

very faulty. I therefore took the liberty of remarking to General Miramon, that an attack

guns and three battahons in a

strong position, by two, would be rather a difficult task, and proposed that I should be allowed
against four

to

advance on the road designated for the

Infantry forces might cover my left

flank by marching on the road there, and the
cavalry.

cavalry protect

my

right,

moving on another

road which leads to the garita past the Chapel

San Francisquito.
General Miramon, however, said that he had
no other infantry at his disposal, and that I

must

follow the instructions

Castillo is

still

conversation.

he would give

alive,

and

Miramon

me

given.

will

told

General

remember

me

this

to wait until

the word to advance.

placed my troops behind the battery, in the

north-east corner of the Plaza de la Cruz, which

was occupied only by one

thirty-six pounder.

After a rather long delay,

Miramon came, and

we had

to

go

through the em"When I, sword in hand,

in single

file

brasure of the gun.

came to it, I saw the Emperor standing there

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

Ms elbow

leaning on the breastwork.

" I wish
Salm," he said,
you good luck with

witii

"

127

my

all

heart

The

may God

protect you !"

accent in which he uttered these words
;

never be forgotten by me. It warmed my

heart, and I felt elevated at the idea that my so
will

highly- venerated

Emperor took an interest

my person, and was anxious for my life.

When

in

I formed

my troops for the attack at

the other side of the battery, "Diana" was already
sounded in the camp of the enemy, and it was
too late to surprise them.
I do not know why

Miramon kept me waiting so long. Sending a

company of the Cazadores in advance, I followed
with Colonel Cevallos and Major Pitner, with
the rest of the

Cazadores, whilst

battalion of the line brought

When we came

up the

we

rear.

of course received

instructions,

it

but the first company took

resistance.

first

to the house mentioned in

my
;

the

To my

right

it

fire

from

after a trifling

was the aqueduct

which conveys the water fi^om the eastern slope

of the Cuesta China to the cruz, but which had
been partly destroyed by the enemy in the early
days of their arrival. This aqueduct is a magnificent

monument

It is about one

long,

many

and

of the time of the conquest.

thousand

five

hundred metres

pointed arches reach in

places a height of one hundred and fifty
its

fine

128

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

Passing under this aqueduct, on the road

leading to the garita, we were fired upon from
feet.

hand

side, where we saw a very strong

stone
wall, belonging to a hacienda,
loopholed
opposite the garita building on the other side of

the

left

As we had no means

of getting over
the wall, a most singular kind of fight ensued
through the loopholes, which were of the same

the road.

height from the ground on both sides of the

wall.
One of the Cazadores lost his gun when

he thrust

it

through a loophole, and our

captured two guns of the enemy

in the

men
same

manner.

Upon

this

occasion

my

Alsatian

distin-

guished himself greatly, and did honour to

his

name,

"Muth"

(courage).

He poked

his

the loopholes, and animated by

his example, my men fired through the loopholes on the defenders in the interior of the

bayonet into

all

corral.

While occupied

in this

manner we suddenly

received a very heavy fire from the azotea of

The Cazathe garita and the other buildings.

who saw nothing but stone walls before

them, and who were not in their usual high
dores,

pressed themselves close against the

wall, and Major Pitner in vain tried his eloquence to bring them from the spot. I therespirits,

fore requested Colonel Cevallos to advance with

129

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

to my right, and seeing that

the
Oazadores followed abreast
was done,

his first
it

company
The

by which they were received was, however, so severe, that they soon
came to a halt. Under these circumstances
with them.

Colonel

Cevallos,

jumped before the

but

fire

Major

and myself
encourage our men,

Pitner,

line to

we were

followed only by the Lieutenants

La Roche and Alphons Marie of the Oazadores,

my aide and shadow, Montecon, Sergeant Count

Henry Pototski, Muth, my servant, and about
eight or ten men, partly Cazadores, partly from
the 1st battalion of the line.

Our

little

party advanced until

we came

to a

turret at the corner of the hacienda building,

which was connected with the loopholed wall.

Here Major Pitner

fell

his blood bespattering

right before

my

boots

my

feet,

he was shot

in his head, but

was not

fatally

though stunned for a time, he

wounded.

Whilst the major was carried back by two

Cazadores, and I was consulting with Cevallos

what was best to be done, one of the enemy

stuck his gun through a loophole behind me
and aimed at my head, which was only a few
inches from the muzzle.
Lieutenant

Alphons
and had the presence of mind
to collar me at once and throw me down,
just
at the moment when the shot went off".
He
Marie noticed

it,

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

130

certainly saved
it

by

tlie

my

life,

and was decorated

Emperor on the same

for

day.

As our

troops would not advance against so

superior a force of the enemy protected by stone
walls, which they could not storm, Colonel
Cevallos and I resolved, though with a very
heavy heart, to retreat, which was done in the

most perfect order, under the galling fire of the

During this retreat. Lieutenant La
enerhy.
Roche and Count Pototski were severely
wounded. A company of tlie Cazadores, under
Captain Avisar, who was killed a few days later,
formed our

rear-guard.

wounded with

When

us,

but

left

We

all

our

our dead.

I returned to the

whom

took

cruz I

met the

regret that
our attack had not been attended bv success.

Emperor,

to

I expressed

my

I am glad that you rekindly,

turned at least ; I did not beheve in a success

He answered

*'

from the beginning." He told me later that he

had been very anxious about me, and when the
major was brought in wounded, he at
lieved it was me.

The Emperor took me with him

first

be-

room
and permitted mo to express myself without restraint about Miramon.
I explained to him the
faults of the instruction given

to his

by him, and

the

Emperor how he had

my

attack on San Gregorio on April 1st.

left

me

told

in the lurch in

131

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
Tlie

Emperor answered,

When

temporize now.

am

" Well
out of

we must

tliis

mouse-

'

trap I will alter everything and

He

invited

me

to

dinner,

make

wliicli

it

good."

was

also

attended by Lopez.

At

jS.ve

Em-

o'clock p.m. I accompanied the

We

went to
peror on a visit to the hospitals.
the bed of young Count Pototski, whose right
leg had been

by Dr. Basch. The

count, who was an extremely handsome young
man of nineteen, had taken part in the last
taken

off

Polish insurrection, under Langiewitz, had fled

from his country, and entered the Cazadores as
private,

under an assumed name, which was

only discovered at a later period.

When

the

his regret at his being so

a
smile
of satisfaction lighted
badly wounded,
up the face of the poor young man, who was

Emperor expressed

much prostrated by the amputation. The

Emperor made him lieutenant, and gave him
very

the cross of the Guadelup, which

was only worn

by officers. The wounded man first kissed the

hand of the Emperor and then the cross. jN^otwithstanding the utmost care the young count
died a few days afterwards, pressing with his
dying hand the precious cross against his heart.

During the night from the 11th to the 12th

of April, the

Emperor again visited the

accompanied only by Colonel Lopez.

lines,

The

132

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

enemy must have had received fresh ammunition, for they bombarded the cruz with unusual
energy next morning, and skirmishes took place
along the whole line all day. Provisions now

began to get scarce

in the city.

The poor

in-

habitants lived almost exclusively on maize, but

the troops still regularly received, besides maize

and horse or mule meat, coffee, and now and

The horses of the cavalry

then some liquor.
mules
of
the
and the
artillery only got half
their usual allowances, except the regiment
Empress, the hussars, who were considered as
a kind of life-guard, and quartered in the Meson
de

la

Cruz close by, and the Mexican body-

guard, consisting of the most daring men who

had been picked out from amongst all the

Mexican cavalry, and commanded by Colonel

Campos, a Vidaurri man.
"When Campos and

were breakfasting with

the Emperor, the servant brought in only half

a roast chicken, a small piece of bread, and some

had been pregood nuns of San

dulces, which, with the bread,

him by the
The
Teresita.
Emperor sent for more, but
when he was told that there was no more, he

sented to

"

Well, gentlemen, this breakfast

shall count for nothing ; come to dinner."

said smilingly,

We

accordingly went;, and had splendid roast mule,

which had

lain in vinegar.

133

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

This scarcity of provisions was not tlie onlycause for uneasiness ; a greater cause still were
quarrels between General Miramon
Mendez. Each of them insisted that the

tlie

and

Em-

peror should arrest the other, and I was afraid

that the Emperor would be prejudiced against

Mendez, who seemed to me far more important

than Miramon. He had brought the Emperor
his best troops, whilst

Miramon brought nothing

but his person, after having lost his army by

his

own

indiscretion.

It

Mendez was very devoted

would have given his life
afraid that he, in a sudden

is

perfectly

true

to the Emperor, and

for him, but I was

of anger (to which

and then), would leave
fit

Indians are subjected now

us with his troops, who worshipped him.

The Emperor went

in the afternoon.

to visit

When

him on the 13th,

he came before the

Casa Blanca, and was just lifting his leg over

the saddle to dismount, and we had gone out
to receive him, a shell burst right over his head.

He and

all

of us could not help saluting the

noisy guest with a slight nod, which caused

much laughter. This time the soldiers' wives

were disappointed, as the

shell burst, for

when-

ever a shell reached us they ran to secure it, in

hope that it might not burst, as was frequently
the case, in order to bring it to the cruz and
get the stipulated price for it.

134

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

On

the 15th the Emperor was closeted all

The result
the morning with General Castillo.
of their consultation was the resolution to send

General Mejia with a detachment of cavalry in

search of Marquez but as Mejia was sick in
;

bed and utterly unable to mount a horse, the

Emperor resolved to send me. Miramon had to
be consulted of course, and he proposed for this
expedition General Don Pantaleon Moret, who

was

his personal friend.

General Moret was an

agreeable, handsome, fair-haired

man, but nothing of a soldier.

young gentleThe Emperor

all, but would

did not like this substitution at

not contradict Miramon, and after much talking

over the matter it was resolved that both of us

However, a new

should go.

Who

was

fco

take the

command ?

colonel in the regular

lieutenant-colouel

whole

business

difficulty

and

army

titular

now arose.
was a

full

Moret was only

The
general.

was

very annoying to the

Emperor, but I assured him that I considered
only the importance of the mission, and should

be satisfied with any arrangement. The result

was the decision that we should be co-ordinate,
and "
exhand in hand" as the

Emperor

go

pressed himself. Moret was simply instructed

to find General Marquez in Mexico, or wJiereever he might happen to be, and to return with

him and

his troops to Querctaro

but probably

135

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
lie

received secret instructions from Miramon.

I was officially charged with the same task, but

received besides the following secret instructions,

which the Emperor dictated to Dr. Basch

1. Three points for the diplomatic corps
:

Invitation to

a.

to
h.

c.

some of the gentlemen

accompany Marquez.

To induce the Juarists

a humane manner.
To make known that
would not give

to proceed in

the

Emperor

in voluntarily, if

he

could not render his commission

into the hands of a legal Congress.
2. Letter to Minister Murphy .... *

To communicate

only to Marquez and

Vidaurri the true state of things, and that we
3.

were compelled to eat horseflesh

for the last six

days.
4.

To

6.

Prince Salm must

give the public good news.

5. Order to General Marquez to i)lace his
whole cavalry at the disposal of the Prince.

Marquez a
hours.

decisive

demand from General

answer within twenty-four

If he should not obtain

leave with

the ivhole cavalry

it,

the ijrince is to

after

tic enty -four

hours.
* These dots here and elsewhere stand in lieu of
orders,
I cannot publish without endangering some persona still

which

living.

136

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

Salm goes off with the cavalry,

he must bring with him at least two hundred
thousand pesos and the private money of the
7.

If Prince

Emperor.
8.

To send

as possible,
each.

couriers

with as

much news

and pay one thousand pesos to

Prince Salm

to spread the intelligence

in Mexico that all the generals had desired the
9.

Emperor

is

to leave Queretaro with the whole of

the cavalry.
10. Prince Salm will influence the Mexican

and foreign press.

Prince Salm will bring
with him all the members of the Boletin de
Noticias
11.

....

Mexico

is

to be given

up

altogether, if

there are troops enough to relieve Queretaro,

but not enough to leave a garrison in Mexico.
12. Papers, both Mexican and foreign, the

former from the 20th of February, and

slips of

commence on 1st of January.

Prince Salm will bring with him all ready

the latter to
13.

civil and military medals, the Guadelup medals,

a few decorations, and ribbon for orders and
medals.

Salm

arrange with Pater

Fischer or Vidaurri secret funds for the payment
14. Prince

to

of secret messengers.
15. Prince Salm to bring with him some

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

good

historical or other

137

books according to the

Baron Magnus.
Prince Salm will bring

selection of
16.

especially

copy of the pamphlet of Counsellor of State

Martinez, and one of the volumes containing the
speeches and writings of the Emperor, printed
at the office of the secretary.

Salm

17. Prince

Greneral

not

will

forget

what news he has

Marquez

ask

to

from

General Negreto.
18. Prince Salm

to

Marquez or Yidaurri

confidential letters with

transmit

either

to

instructions relating to General O'Horan.

19. Prince Salm is authorized to enter into

negociations

party

with

persons

of

the

opposite

....

20. Prince

Salm

will

inform himself about

the yacht.
the papers which were taken from
me later, and which I therefore cannot give
verbally, were the following

Amongst

1.

Authorization

to

arrest

Marquez

if

should find that the reports about his treason

had any foundation.

2.

Authorization

Pantaleon Moret,

if

to

arrest

General

should think

it

Don
con-

venient.
3.

Letter to Colonel Count Khevenhiiller in

which the same

is

directed to follow, with his

138

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

European troops, my instructions, just as if

coming from the Emperor himself, without
taking notice of any other orders from any
one

else.

4.

Gorda

Order to General Olvera in the Sierra

me

to give

all his

cavalry.

In a word I was charged to return with the

troops, with or without Marquez, and to relieve
Queretaro.

The

four letters to General

the following

Marquez were

QuERETAUo, April 16th, 1867.

" The
Emperor

to

General Marquez.

Dear General Marquez, The Prince

Salm-Salm is going to the capital to consult
with you and other persons about objects of the
utmost importance. We therefore recommend

"My

you to consider everything he will communicate

to you as a transmission of my demands, which
you will execute in the manner he will tell you ;
and at the same time to take care that the same
be done by other persons to

whom

the prince

might address himself.

" Your
"
(Signed)

affectionate,

Maximiliano."

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

139

QUERETAKO, HeADQUARTEBS IN THE CkUZ,

April nth, 1867.

" The
Emperor

to General Marquez.
" We have
given to Prince Salm the strictest
instructions that if you, for reasons unknown

here, should not be incHned to declare within

twenty-four hours, whether you can march on

Queretaro with sufficient troops to relieve the
city,

and

he

to return here after twenty- four hours ;

in this case it is our firm will, and we- give
is

the express orders for

irregular cavalry in

that

it,

all

Mexico and in

regular and
its

suburbs,
or on the road between Mexico and Queretaro,

shall h^ placed at the exclusive disposal of Prince

Salm, who, accompanied by all these troops and

Genera] Moret, will directly return here, and as
fast as possible.

"Yours,
"

etc.,

(Signed)

Maximiliano."

Qtjeeetaeo, Headquakteus in the Cruz,

April 16th, 1867.

" The
Emperor

"

to

General Marquez.

My

dear General Marquez, In case that

Prince Salm is to return alone with the
cavalry,

you

will deliver to

him two hundred thousand

may transmit them to us.

pesos in order that he

*'

Yours,

"
(Signed)

etc.,

Maximiliano."

140

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
QuEiiETAKO,

" The
Emperor
"

to

17th, 1867.

General Marguez.

To General Marquez,

Salm on

ylj9riZ

In case that Prince

his return here should not desire to take

General Moret bach with him,

you will give the
latter, on our order, a temporary employment in

Mexico.

"Yours,

etc.,

"
(Signed)

Maximiliano."

The 16th and 17th of April passed with the

writing of these important authorizations, and
with other preparations. The hussars had been
increased by volunteers from fifty to one hundred men, and the Espladores de Valley de

Mexico, under Captain

were to go with me.

Don Antonio

Gonzales,

In order to have

my

brave Alsatian, Muth, with me, I had him transferred to the hussars.
Beside my shadow
Lieutenant Montecon, brave Major Malburg,
and Lieutenant Bieleck, were to accompany me

German merchant, Mr.

an
Schwesinger,
Imperialist, who desired to
leave Querdtaro, and who had rendered until
as aides,

and

also a

then very acceptable voluntary services in the

I had orders to be at the Cerro de
hospitals.

Campana at midnight, and if everything went

right we might expect to reach the Sierra

la

Gorda

early in the

morning.

It

was bright

141

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

moonlight at that time, which was not favourable at all to a secret expedition, yet without it

would have been impossible to find our wayover the works of the enemy, which enclosed us.

it

I took
o'clock.

my leave of
He gave me

*'Salm, I confide to

happy

the
his

at nine

Emperor

hand, and said,

you much,but I

feel perfectly

in the conviction that I have placed

my

I felt very sad at

confidence in good hands."
leaving the Emperor, surrounded as he was with
all

me

but the commission he gave

promised salvation, and I could not but do

kind of dangers

to respond to his wishes.

After taking supper at a French

my best

house, with the ofiicers of

my

staff,

coffee-

went

at

half-past eleven to the Cerro de la Campana,

where I already found the regiment Empress

and the 4th of cavalry, under Colonel de la

Cruz, who were to assist in our undertaking.
In a tent standing there I found Miramon in
company with Ceneral Moret, Colonel de la
Cruz, and Colonel

Don Pedro

Gonzales.

The

regiment Empress was to follow me, and the

4th to cover my left flank. At the same time
infantry

was to advance

to our right

the roads running there.

After an embrazo Miramon
colonels,

and

and

left

left

on

with the

remained with Moret, to

whom

the Emperor had inculcated in the afternoon

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

142
that

lie

must go hand

in

hand with me.

When

arranging our march, I expressed the desire to

march with my troops in the advanced guard,

but Moret requested me to leave it to his Mexicans, who had been for the greater part guerillas,

and who were acquainted with every inch of the

ground. As his reasons were plausible, I agreed
to follow

him with my hussars.

As soon
we were

as

we should have passed

to put the spurs to our horses,

the river

and ride

on without taking any notice what occurred behind us. Should we be separated, by some accident, we were to meet at a certain road behind
the village Santa Kosa, at the foot of the Sierra
Grorda. From here we should endeavour to find

General Olvera, and act in concert with him.

The moon shone brightly as we started.

Turning round the Cerro de la Campana, we

came to the river. It was rather deep, and its

We had to pass one by one,

thus
lost. During our crossand much time was
in
the
noticed
we
camp of the enemy signal
ing

banks were

steep.

rockets, which indicated the direction of our

march, and arriving at the opposite bank, we

heard to our left and right firing of infantry,
which astonished us the more, as the enemy
generally guarded this plain with cavalry only.

had the appearance as if the enemy had information of our plan, and I believe now what
It

143

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

we were betrayed byEmperor confided things

I did not then believe, that

Lopez, to

whom

the

which he ought not have communicated to any

others but the persons to

whom

it

concerned.

Instead of advancing at a gallop, we went

on slowly, and kept on going thus for about ten
minutes,

when we received fire in

front

and from

both flanks, on which occasion I got a grazing

shot in my leg, and my horse one at its croup.

we came to a dead
and
I
sent
stop,
Major Malburg to inquire what
was the matter. It was long before he returned,

Instead of dashing cJnwards

and when he came he told me that dense columns

of infantry were immediately before us.
I sent

him again to Moret with an urgent request to

advance by all means, and not to care how many
might fall, but Malburg returned again with the
request of the general to come to his side.
I found him before a water ditch, but which
was no serious impediment, as the sixty men of
the advanced guard had passed it.
On my
asking why he had not followed them, the general
said that masses of infantry had come between
him and his advanced guard, and prevented it.
I saw indeed at a distance of about eighty paces

infantry before us,

asked what
stances,

we

who

fired into us.

Moret

should do under these circum-

and whether

it

would not be better

postpone the undertaking.

to

144

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

saw that

bility to

ride

it

was now an absolute impossi-

tlirougli tlie

masses of infantry

before us, and regretted very much that I had

not remained at the side of the general all the

time

for

some

men

forty of the sixty

of the

advanced guard reached the Sierra Gorda, as I

was informed afterwards Underthese circum!

stances nothing was left but to think of retreatin front and on both our flanks
ing, for the fire

had become still more intense, and at the same

time we were fired on by two batteries to our
not been there in the afterright, which had
noon.

Never

in all

mortified as on

my

life

was I so furious and

which was owing to

this retreat,

the want of decision of General Moret, and

still

more to the folly of General Miramon, to encumber me with this man, whose unfitness for
such an expedition was very well known to him.
General Escobar told
before

my

me

at a later period that

arrival in the tent,

Miramon had

re-

primanded Moret rather sharply about several

him to behave proprevious blunders, exhorted
he gave him, to reperly on this occasion, Avhich
The carelessestablish his military character.
ness of

Miramon was unpardonable

I do not think very

much

for thougli

of him, I cannot dis-

cover any other reason for his desire to prevent

our success.

145

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
I cannot describe

feelings witli

tlie

which I

Emperor next morning. When 1

entered he called out, " I know the whole
went to the

affair

"
already

I tried

now

to

induce the

me

repeat the attempt on

another evening, and assured him that I would
not return a second time.
He liked the

Emperor

to

let

proposition.

On

April 19th fifteen officers wrote a letter

which they gave it as their

opinion that there remained nothing to be done
but to surrender, and which they most earnestly
to General Mejia, in

advised should be done.

faint-hearted officers

At the head

of these

stood General Ramirez,

These three
Colonel Rubio, and Major Adami.
were put under arrest the same day, and remained so during the whole siege.
The Emperor became more and more aware
of the difficulty of his position, and expressed
the desire to have me always with him. He

would not
ceived his

me go

Mexico now, and I reorder to remain thenceforward perlet

to

manently at head-quarters. He still believed

that Marquez was on his way back to Queretaro,

and Miramon declared, with the greatest assurance, that Queretaro could be held

still

for

Therefore, instead of sending me rayhe gave me orders to find a person who

months.
self,

would undertake to make inquiries

vol.

I.

for

Marquez.
10

146

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

leave the city was not impossible to a brave

and discreet man, as was proved by the example

To

of our advanced guard.

For

this

ted than

him the

adventure I knew no

my brave

man better

fit-

and I made
I promised him two

Alsatian, Muth,

proposition.

thousand pesos if he would transmit a slip of

paper, hidden in the soles of his shoes, to
General Marquez, and bring an answer, or at
I gave him
least, reliable news about him.
for pocket

twenty-five pesos

money, and he

went on

his perilous expedition during the night

and the 21st.
the
20th
of

Amongst

foreigners in Queretaro,
the chances of war, was a Mr.

the

brought there by
Wells, a North American.

On

the road, with a

train of waggons and mules, he had the misfortune to meet Mejia, who thought it conve-

him and his whole concern with

Queretaro. Mr. Wells was a very clever

nient to take

him to
Instead of losing
and agreeable gentleman.
his time and temper, and bewailing his fate, he,
with true American versatility, accommodated
To make himself
himself to circumstances.
useful, he attached himself to a hospital, and
rendered very good services there, and with
such a good heart and will that the Emperor

thought it proper to acknowledge them by

giving Mr. Wells the decoration of the Guadelup

147

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
order.

as

lie

He was

extremely pleased, republican

was, and wore the decoration during tlie

whole of the

siege.

On April
camp

21st I was appointed first aide-deof the Emperor, in the place of Colonel

Osmachea, who was transferred to the cavalry, I

do not know why. He was extremely devoted,

and during the whole

was on

fight of the

14th

ult.

he

his knees, praying for victory.

On the other
hanging on a

side of the river

tree,

a man,

we saw

who had

to-day,
attached to

on wliich was painted

show that the man who had been
hanged was the fifth of our spies which had been
his breast a sheet of paper,

a large

B 5,

to

captured.
In the course of the night from 21st to 22nd
of April, I was awakened by Severo, the Emperor's

Mexican body-servant, and ordered to go

to his master.

He

me

I found

him already half dressed.

some person whom he did not

name had just informed him that Miramon intended to arrest him this very night. *' Though I do
told

that

not believe this for a single moment," said the

"
Emperor, I think it convenient to take measures against any emergencies."
As the Emperor did not name the person
who brought him this information, I did not
like

to ask his

Mendez.

name; but I suppose

it

was

148

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

ordered the hussars to be ready, and

watched myself the whole night, which passed,
I

however, without any incident.

In the morning of the 22nd of April the
Emperor sent for Miramon, with whom he had
a conversation which lasted two hours.

know

not

its

I do

object; but when I made

" I
the

Emperor

morning report,

said,

my

believe,

Salm, the young general is faithful affcer all."

In the afternoon a man, who was a relative of a
priest in the city,

and

lived then in the hacienda

de Jacal, the head-quarters of the Liberal General Corona, who held the lines opposite those
occupied by Mendez, came to the head -quarters.
He had overheard a conversation between several
generals.

"The generab," he
much about the defeat

said,

"rejoiced very

of General

Marquez

between Puebla and Mexico.'*

" That's not
true," said the Emperor, in" for
Marquez has nothing to
terrupting him ;
do between Puebla and Mexico.

The man

also stated the generals

had

dis-

cussed the question what would be best to be

done with "Maximihano," and whether he should
be made prisoner. All agreed that he ought to

but some of them expressed the fear

that the government would pardon and send

be shot

him

to the coast.

149

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

"Against that," said Corona, "is still a

remedy. He may be shot by his escort, like
President Commonfort."

On

the 23rd I dined with the Emperor, but

our fare was so extremely bad that he could not
I told him that I dined
help laughing about it.
much better the day before with Dr. Basch,

whose dinner was cooked by

his

Hungarian

servant.

"That bad fellow!"

jokingly;

"I

from him."

said

the

Emperor,

shall take that precious

servant

The thing was arranged, and our

dinners afterwards became better.

In those days I dined now and then at the

Hotel de Diligencias, where we, for a piastre, got
some roast horse or mule, beans, and tortillas.
I generally carried with me a little piece of
bread, which was too small to be divided, and
for

which I was very much envied.

The Em-

peror received every morning some bread from

the good nuns of Santa Teresita, and Dr.

Basch, Pradillo, Blasio, and

a piece.

I received each

General Arellano had been busy for two

days past with building two batteries in the
projecting angles near the pantheon one directed against the Garita de Mexico, the other
:

against a battery which the enem}" had erected

on the road close to the aqueduct a few days

160

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

ago, in order to attack the cruz also from the

east side.
position did not permit me now to visit
in the city ; but, at the desire of the Empe-

My
much

saw General Mendez, who was

in a very bad humour, and whom I tried to cheer
I was more frequently in the company of
up.
General Castillo, Colonel Don Manuel Guzman,

ror, I frequently

of

his

staff,

Pradillo,

and Father Aguerre.

Sometimes we had a rubber of whist with Dr.

Basch and the Majors Pitner and Malburg.

From

six to half-past seven o'clock p.m., the

Emperor promenaded regularly on the Plaza de

la Cruz, and the enemy must have known it
for at that time the Plaza was always shelled,
;

which, however, did not disturb the Emperor in

the least.
He was much more disturbed by

begging women, especially soldiers' wives, who

would not be refused, and whoever was in

company with the Emperor had

empty his
pockets.
During one of these promenades I
spent in this manner twenty-five dollars.
to

On

the 24th of April, at seven o'clock a.m.,

General Arellano tried his new batteries against

the Garita de Mexico, and evidently with good

success, as the enemy's fire was silenced now

and then.

The Emperor went

into the cupola of the

"

cruz, to observe the effect of our

fire.

With

151

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

him, in the confined Httle room, were Mejia, who

was out again for the first time, Miramon, Arellano, Reyes, Moret, Lopez, Pradillo,

and

I,

with

mj shadow Montecon, the adjutant of Lopez,

and

The windows
a Frenchman, Captain Kuries.
of this small room were half closed by adobes.

A twelve-pounder ball

entered one of these

windows, and struck against the opposite wall,

covering us all with dust and lime but nobody
The ball remained harmless on the
was hurt
;

ground, and the Emperor said he would send it

Miramar as a keepsake, and have inscribed

to

names of all present. Miramon, who

himself looked like a miller, had a good laugh
at me, as I wore for the first time a new uniform,
and because I kept to my eye my powdered
on

it

the

lorgnette,

wondering why I could not see any-

thing.

The firing lasted until ten o'clock a.m.,

when it was stopped, for reasons of economy.
The head- quarters of General Escobedo,
who commanded the forces of the enemy, had
been in the valley between San Gregorio and
San Pablo I suppose in the Rancho de Jesus

Maria
gorio,

but since our attack on the San Gre-

it

had been removed

to the south-eastern

slope of the Cerro de la Cantara.

On the 25th of April, Colonel Leiza, of Castillo's staff,

a very amiable, active

little

gentle-

152

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

man, was struck on tlae azotea of the cruz by

a shell, which shattered both his legs. He
would not have Dr. Basch, who

offered to

am-

putate them, but preferred a Mexican surgeon, who cut off only one, and in conse-

quence

which operation he died a few days

.of

afterwards.

I had on this day a long conversation with

General

and we

about our present position,

agreed to unite our efforts for the
Castillo

purpose

of inducing the

Emperor

to

leave

Queretaro.

The Emperor agreed

only under
with him.

to our proposition, but

the condition to take his whole army

He was always troubled by the fear

not
of
having done enough for his military
honour, and then he repeated still, "Marquez
come

will

yet."

This hope was taken from him, however, this

day by my brave Muth, who returned from his

In the room of the Emperor I wrote

down what he said, but as the original has

adventure.

been

lost, I

can only give the contents of the

document.

When

Muth, on leaving Queretaro, crept

through the cactus thicket, he suddenly encountered the enemy's outposts pointing their guns
at him.
As escape was impossible, he waved
his

handkerchief, and reported himself as a

153

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
deserter.

He

abused, of course,

all

and every-

thing in Queretaro, and was led to the headquarters of some general, where he met a

German aide-de-camp,
American, from the

staff

suppose a Germanof Escobedo, a Captain

Enking, whose acquaintance I had the misfortune to make later, as I shall relate in its proper
place.

Muth was

detailed

to

a battalion which

occupied the Garita de Mexico, and collected

all information which he thought useful to us.

As all his former statements had proved true,

we had no reason to disbelieve what he now
told us.
It was well known in the enemy's camp that
General Marquez had been beaten by Porfirio
Diaz at San Lorenzo, a place between Mexico

and Puebla, on the 8th or 9th of April that he

had lost all his artillery, and escaped only with
;

a few " sombreros chicitos," as the hussars were

by the Mexicans, from their little Hungarian hats and that he was now besieged in

called

Mexico.

He

also brought the important

news of the

of Puebla, and that three Imperial generals

and fifty officers had been shot by the Liberals,
fall

which proved unfortunately only too

true.

Muth said that the Liberals did not intend to

make a general attack again, as they were con-

154

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

fident of getting the city soon,

by starving the

garrison.

The Emperor asked him what was the

meaning of the ringing of all the bells in the
subm:-bs, and the "Diana" in the lines of the
enemy, which was heard some days ago. He
stated that this was caused by the good news
about the victory over Marquez, received on
that day.

This reminds
the assurance

me

of General Moret,

to order

who had

"
the " Diana
to be

sounded, on the Cerro de la Campana, when he

the nightly expedition which

returned from

miscarried by his inefficiency

I paid

Muth one hundred

count, promising

him

five

piastres on ac-

hundred or

six

hun-

dred more on account on the 15th of May, but

am sorry to say, by sad

which was prevented, I

and important events.

The news brought by Muth seemed to confirm the Emperor in his decision to break
through with the army, and General Castillo
was charged with the task of making propositions in writing for the execution of such a
He sent for Miranion, and told him of
plan.

the information

received,

and

his decision in

consequence of it, and gave me many orders,

which I executed, with the assistance of Mr.
Schwesinger,

who spoke and wrote Spanish

155

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
perfectly well, whilst Basch had to write
confidential letters for the Emperor.

On
made

many

the 26th of April, preparations were

for our breaking through the enemy,

which was to take place next morning at

o'clock.

Nobody knew our

five

intention except

the Emperor, Castillo, Miramon, and myself.

The Emperor ordered me to put his papers

and archives

in little valises,

were to take behind their

which the hussars

saddles

and the

steward of the Emperor was occupied with this

work all day in my room, with locked doors.

was appointed by the Emperor

household, and he placed under my
I

his

command both

the hussars and

chief of
especial

the Mexican

body-guard. I forgot to mention that the commander of the hussars. Captain Echegaray, had

been transferred to the infantry, and that his

command had been given to Captain Pawlowski.

This ofl&cer was a very powerful man, who

on one occasion greatly astonished the Mexicans.
The cavalry fights of the Mexicans were
generally the most ridiculous affairs one could
see.

Both

parties halted at a certain distance,

and commenced firing at each other, until one

party had enough of it and ran away, when the
other pursued them with great noise. When
the hussars, instead of conforming to this cus-

166

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

upon the Mexicans sabre in liand,

were
they
utterly shocked at such rude behaviour, and the more so as Captain Pawlowski,

torn, ruslied

who always carried a very heavy regulation

sabre, cut down seven of them with his own
hand before they recovered from

their

asto-

nishment.

had to prepare everything for our leaving

and the Emperor, who
as secretly as possible
I

never forgot anything, ordered that every one

near him should carry a note-book in his
pocket, in order to write down immediately even
the most trifling order, to which he very strictly

adhered.

To deceive the inhabitants and the enemy,

who knew, however, our position better than
we did ourselves, all buglers assembled in the
afternoon in the Plaza de la Cruz, to sound

"

Diana," and at the same time

were ringing

that

is, all

all

the bells

which had not been

transformed yet into cannon-shot.

I was contented and happy that at last we
had arrived at a decision, and slept better than
I ever did before.
dispositions for the 27th of
April were not known to me ; but from what I
heard, it would seem as if Miramon cared more

The exact

for inflicting a severe

to

fulfil

blow on the enemy than

our chief purpose.

157

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

Whilst Miramon attacked the enemy at the

foot of the Cimatario, Castillo,

to do so,

was

to

make a

who

volunteered

feigned attack against

Should he, however, by

chance be able to take it without much sacrifice,

the Garita de Mexico.

he might do

so.

The Emperor was

to wait in the cruz for

the result of Miramon' s attack.

With him

re-

mained the hussars, the body-guard, and the

regiment Empress. Everything was packed up,

and ready for our departure from Queretaro.

Between five and six o'clock a.m., Castillo
and Miramon advanced at the same time

the

former on that road which I had desired to take

on April 11th, and the

San Francisquito.

from the chapel

latter

With Miramon was the division of General

Mendez, who did on that day his utmost, as he
had noticed that the Emperor of late had treated
him with some coldness. At the head of the
attacking column were,

Cazadores, and next to

of the municipal

as

usual, the brave

them was the

battalion

guards of Mexico.

Cavalry
covered their right flank.
The first line of the enemy and a battery
were taken on the first assault by Major Pitner.

The attack was made with such impetuosity

that a panic seized the Liberals,

who

without making any

In this attack,

stand.

fled

almost

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

158

Pitner met the Liberal brigade from Morelia,

whicli was commanded by a German, Colonel

Charles von Gagern, whose adjutant, Mr. von

Gluemer, was taken prisoner.

After our troops were once in the enemy's

was easy work to roll it up, as they were

flanked and fired in the back. The Liberals fled

line, it

Fifteen
a panic-struck flock of sheep.
guns, seven stands of colours, and five hundred

like

and forty-seven prisoners, including twenty-one

officers, a great quantity of ammunition and
arms,

officers'

baggage and provisions, were the

result of this short engagement.

The strong

hacienda de Jacal, the head-quarters of Corona,

was also taken. The panic of the Liberals was
so great, that many, and amongst them some
generals, ran until beyond Celaya, which is four

leagues from Queretaro.

Castillo

had

also

good success.

He

took

a battery of six guns ; but as the garita itself,

and the hacienda opposite it, were like a fort,

and
take

built of solid stone,

it

it

was not so easy to

as an earth breastwork.

We had

scarcely sustained any loss, and the

purpose of our attack was fulfilled most glori-

and beyond any expectation. Nothing

prevented us from leaving the city, as some
hours must necessarily pass before Escobedo
ously,

could send fresh troops from the opposite lines

159

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

around

the

warfare,

knows

city.

Whoever knows Mexican

also that

any return or

collect-

ing of beaten troops was not to be apprehended.

Liberal

officers

told

me

later,

that their

army lost, on that day, not less than ten thousand men by desertion, and cavalry was sent
after

them

into the country, to bring back at

of them.
The defeat was so com-

some
plete, and appeared so

least

decisive, that

some of

the Liberal generals proposed to raise the siege,

and all admitted that it must have been done, if

Miramon had

at once assisted Castillo,

and the

Garita de Mexico been taken.

as

The poor citizens were jubilant. As soon

they became aware of our great success, they

rushed into the lines of the enemy, and helped

themselves to all victuals they found there.

When

the

Emperor saw

that our troops were

victorious, he ordered his household to remain

prepared, and rode on the battle-field, accom-

panied by Pradillo, myself, Lopez,

and the

The troops received him with tremendous cheering. On all our lines *' Diana"
was sounded, and all the bells of Queretaro

hussars.

proclaimed our victory to the country around.

When we arrived, I saw, with astonishment,
that the troops of

Miramon

Casa

retired to the

Blanca, though no enemy was before us

and

160

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

notliing prevented

him from marcliing up tlie

and to

Oimatario, to occupy the Cuesta. China,

fire

from there into the Garita de Mexico

nothing beside the original purpose was

if

in-

tended.

The Emperor rode along the

lines

which

had been occupied by the enemy, in a lively

conversation with Miramon, and visited also
the hacienda de Jacal.

In this conversation, I

suppose. General Miramon tried to persuade

the Emperor to give up for the present his
intention of leaving Queretaro, and to make

another attempt to annihilate the rest of the

enemy's forces, as it had been done with such

on the south side. The eloquence of

the young general was the more convincing, as
it was supported by such a stupendous success.
It was resolved now that Miramon should
facility

advance on the right of the Cimatario, sweep

th& -crest of the Cuesta China, cross the river,

and attack San Gregorio.

Had

this plan

been

out immediately after our success, it

might, perhaps, have been followed by a still
greater one; but hours had passed, during
carried

which nothing was done. The Emperor was,

"
Well,
however, full of hope, and said to me,
Salm, the young general is good, after all."
It has been stated, at a later period, by a

Major von Goerbitz, a German, of Miramon's

161

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
staff, tliat it

was not

but

this geneval,

tlie

Em-

peror himself, who ordered that a second attack

should be made. On my questioning him how
the major could know what had been transacted
privately between the Emperor and Miramon,
the major said that the latter had always been
in the habit of assembling his staff after a con-

versation with the Emperor, in order to commuthem what had been said or resolved

nicate to

upon.

asked General Escobar, who had been

always with Miramon, and he flatly contradicted
I

that this general ever had this extraordinary

General

habit.

this

is

still

now what he

ready to repeat

But

Escobar

living,

and

then asserted.

Major von Goerbitz heard Miramon make

statement, then I must suppose that the

if

general said so for some particular purpose;

for, from a conversation between him and the

Emperor on that subject, at which I was present, it became obvious that the second attack
had been proposed by Miramon.

I have not

misunderstood this conversation, for I asked

the Emperor himself, and he said that I had
rightly understood the matter.

Formerly, Marquez was the

Emperor

now

it

evil spirit of the

was Miramon.

The

first is

the latter paid with his blood shed

at the same time as that of the Emperor ; and as

vile traitor

VOL.

I,

11

162

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

long as there are no proofs to the contrary,

we

Miramon, though full of personal ambition, was blinded more by his own
illusions, and carried away by his hghtness, than
that he purposely deceived the Emperor, and
will believe that

advised him badly, in order to rise by his fall.

General Escobedo made a better use of the

time squandered by Miramon with such culpable

As soon as he, from his headcarelessness.
quarters on the Cantara across the city, saw
the broad side of the Cimatario covered with
his panic-struck soldiers, he sent his best troops

over the river to repair the losses.

Amongst

these troops was the battalion de Supremos

Poderos, the body-guard of Juarez ; the brigade
of JSTueva Leon, under

Colonel Palacio;

and

own body-guard, the cavalry

Cazadores de Galeano, who
of
the
regiment
carried eight-shooters, American Spencer rifles.
even Escobedo' s

was past nine o'clock a.m. Miramon

placed two brigades one to the right, another
It

to the left of the broad

way

leading from the

Casa Blanca up the Cimatario; the same on

which the enemy advanced on March 27th. A
third brigade followed as a reserve, and the
4th regiment of cavalry, under Colonel de la

Cruz, covered the right flank.

Whether Miramon had neglected to obtain

information about the movements of the enemy,

163

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
whetlier he, in

liis

intoxication produced

by

his

had not even thought it necessary to

place a look-out on the crest of the Cimatario,
success,

I cannot

tell

but

a fact that the reinforce-

it is

ments sent by Escobedo were already near this

crest, on the opposite slope of the hill, when
our troops commenced ascending it on the other
side.

By

his negligence

Miramon had

lost the

great advantage of position ; and another proof

of his carelessness was, that the Cazadores went

new

attack with only two or three carThe Emperor, excited

tridges in their boxes
to this

by success, and believing now more than

ever in the genius of Miramon, advanced with
also

the general.
When our brigades had ascended about twothirds of the hill, they were received by a tre-

mendous fire from its crest, where Escobedo's

troops had arrived. At the same time, the
Cazadores de Galeano swept round the left
wing of the enemy, and made an attack against
our 4th regiment of cavalry, which was routed,
and thrown back upon the infantry. Our troops
halted.
Their intoxication had not been lasting,

for their victory

had been won too easy.

Moreover, they were already tired by their work

of the morning, especially by the running up
hiU to make prisoners.

The

fire

from the top of the

hill,

strength-

164

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

ened by that on tlieir flanks from the victorious

Cazadores de Galeano, who fired on that occafourteen thousand cartridges, as I was
informed afterwards, was too much for them,

sion

and they began to waver.

moment the Emperor drew his sword

and stepped out before the front line. Miramon
At

this

was on

his right, I

on

his left side.

But the

the heights proved more effective than

the eloquence of his encouraging words and his
fire fi'om

our troops made right about face, and

the Liberals advanced from their position. The

example

Emperor was beside himself; he would not

and remained on the spot where he was,
the target for every bullet. That he did not find
retire,

here a soldier's death

is

wonderful.

The danger

became nrore and more urgent, for the enemy

advanced.
Miramon and I entreated him in
vain to retire

he would remain.

At

last I laid

"
my hand on his left arm and said, I implore
your majesty not to expose yourself in such a
useless manner, you owe it to your army not to
This had the required
The Emperor slowly turned about his
and walked his horse to the Casa

throw away your

effect.

horse,

life !"

Blanca.
slope of the hill offered now a spectacle
which cut me to the heart. It was covered

The

with our troops flying in disorder, chased by

165

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
the Cazadores de Galeano,

killed every

In the short distance from the

wounded man.
hill

who

to the Casa Blanca

we

lost

two hundred and

men, among them Lieutenant Wols of the

Cazadores, who remained on the field wounded
fifty

The enemy made a

in the face.

us to the

city,

and advanced

feint to follow

at once against the

Casa Blanca, which had been occupied in the

General Miramon who was on the
old manner.
azotea

Emperor

how

the

Casa

to join

him

of

Blanca,

requested

there, that he

the Liberals would run their

our walls.
time.

paces,

the

might see
heads against

Miramon was not mistaken

this

The enemy halted at about two hundred

and when a brave attack of the Cazadores

de Galeano against our battery between the

Garita de Pueblita and Celaya was beaten off",
the Liberals contented themselves with re-occu-

pying the lines which their comrades had lost

in the morning.

When I stood with the Emperor and Miramon

on the azotea of the Casa Blanca, I asked the
latter what measures he had taken for the
security of the cruz
this

He

answered,

moment none whatever."

"Up

He had

to

for-

gotten the cruz altogether, and had it depended

upon him the Liberals might have taken it

without
quite

difiiculty.

unprotected.

It was, however, not left

The

regiment

Empress

166

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

did infantry service, and Mejia, who went to

the cruz, employed those men who came with

These together with the

the captured guns.
stands of colours and prisoners, were placed on
the Plaza de la Cruz. Amongst the prisoners

was the adjutant of the Liberals, Colonel von

Gagern, a Mr. von Gluemer, once a Prussian
When the Emperor asked him whether
ensign.
he was a German, he answered with a corres"
ponding expression, I am an American !" Givis

Bomanus sum !
The Emperor remained closeted with Miramon for more than an hour, and I went to the
room of Castillo who had returned also. Both
of us were of opinion that notwithstanding the

turn which things had taken, we might still

fulfil the original purpose of our attack, and
that the present
able than

moment was even more

would ever occur again.

favour-

A breaking

through with our whole army was possible at

any point of the enemy's lines, but especially
in the direction of the Sierra Gorda, as Esco-

bedo had weakened these

lines

by sending from

who had

there the troops

repulsed our second
attack, whilst to-morrow, probably, many of the
beaten troops would have recovered fi:om their

panic and returned.

packed and ready, and

the two American gentlemen, Mr. Clark and
Everything was

still

167

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

Mr. Wells, who had entreated me not to leave

them behind, waited impatiently

for the

signal

had not yet received a counter-order,

but the long conversation the Emperor had
to march. I

with Miramon made us uneasy, and

we were

young general would

I therefore feigned some
induce him to stay.
business in the Emperor's room, and on his
afraid that this sanguine

me

German, "Will your

majesty grant me the favour of a few words

noticing

said

in

before dismissing the young general ?"

"Well," replied the Emperor, "wait for

room, I
soon came.

in Castillo's

He

shall

me

be there directly."

" Your
"
Majesty," I addressed him,

will

me

with the permission to speak to

you more freely than I would dare under less
precarious circumstances ?"

you favour

"I wish you

to speak always openly and

" even
with
me," said the Emperor,
freely
under the most prosperous circumstances."
" then I
"
Well, your Majesty," I continued,
city, where you cermeet your death;" and I developed
the reasons and arguments which I had dis-

implore you to leave this

tainly will
all

cussed with Castillo, and this general supported

me to the utmost.

But

all

in vain.

infatuated with

The Emperor was

Miramon.

He

utterly

spoke again of

168

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

"military honour" which would not permit

him to give up the city with all its heavy artilliis

lery.

"And

then,"

become of
so

faithful

whom we

he

to us,

"what

exclaimed,

this unfortunate city,

will

which has been

and of our poor wounded,

cannot take with us ?"

Though these scruples did honour to the

heart of the Emperor, we could not find them
To surrender a fortress, if not
convincing.
compelled by the utmost necessity, or to lose
may be against the honour of a com-

his guns,

mander or an

artillery officer,

and

desirable that such ideas should

it

certainly is

become

articles

of creed in an army, but they cannot possibly

have force with a sovereign who must be guided

by other motives than solely by his miHtary

However, the Emperor was not to be

honour.

moved

he told us that he

to-morrow another

attack

liad

arranged for

against

the

San

Gregorio.

"

Well,"

insists

"

if

your Majesty
on remaining and attacking San Gre-

gorio, I implore
it

exclaimed,

you not to delay

it

but to make

at once, in an hour."

was of the same opinion, but in

vain that of Miramon prevailed, and I had to
give orders to the hussars and body-guard to
retire to their quarters.
Thus ended the 27tli
Castillo
;

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

169

of April, wliicli offered us the last chance of

safety.

The attack against San Gregorio proposed

for the 28th of April did not take place, partly

from scarcity of ammunition, but still more

because the Emperor had been inspired by

Miramon with such confidence

issue,

that he imagined

in a fortunate

a day more or less

would not much matter.

Marquez was not
thought of any more, and whether he came or
not was considered
for

Miramon

without him.

felt

now

as rather indifferent,

strong enough to

conquer
break
through
was
a thino;
To

that might be done every day without much

The enemy remained quiet that day,
difficulty.

and we did not disturb them.

Mendez noticed before his lines a woman on

horseback, who wore a sombrero ornamented
with a plume, and who carried a gun with which
she fired furiously at the enemy. I had noticed

She looked
her already on former occasions.
like a soldier's girl.
On being examined by
General Mendez, she said that her husband had
been killed by the Liberals on March 14th, and
that she wanted to revenge him. As she had
the appearance of a very resolute woman, the
General engaged her to go out and endeavour
to bring

news from Marquez,

five hundred pesos.

mised her

for

which he pro-

170

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

She returned

a few days, and said that

Marquez would be in Queretaro within two or
three days, as she had spoken to him at Arroyo

But on

Zarco.

after

closer examination, she

con-

tradicted herself in a very suspicious manner,

and it was thought well to imprison her. She

was probably a spy of the enemy, who would

have liked to earn, in an easy manner, five hundred Imperial pesos.

We

noticed that signals were made from

different azoteas in the city, and heard much

enemy had organized a perfect

of
station of
system
espionage in the city.
these scouts was close to the cruz in the houses

later,

that the

already occupied by the enemy.

had been

officers in citizen's dress,

Of course

all

this

Even Liberal

we heard

in the cruz.

only after the

siege.

Our troops had been very much thinned by

their many engagements
to such a degree had
this reached, that the infantry was no longer
;

sufficient to

man

the trenches.

Those between

and the Cerro de

the Garita de

Celaya

Campana were

therefore occupied by the 4th

la

regiment of cavalry, whose horses had mostly

It was wonderful that the
died by starvation.
Liberals did not attack this position.

The

scarcity of maize

that of money.

Some

was not

felt less

than

cavalry regiments and

171

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

the artillery teams did not receive any rations

at all, and had to feed their horses with leaves

and chopped brushwood. The soldiers received

only half-pay, and the officers scarcely any.

On

me

the 29th of April the Emperor rode with

and Colonel Lopez along the lines. He was

I dined with
not well, and out of humour.
him in company with Colonel Don Joaquin
Rodriguez, and tolerably well, thanks to the
skill

of the cook,

who had been taken from

the

epicurean Dr. Basch.

On the 30th of April Miramon was called to
the Emperor, and as the always active General
Arellano had replaced the ammunition, it was
resolved to attack the Garita de Mexico that
day.

On
menced

the 1st of

May

the attack was

com-

by the battery near

the Chapel San Francisquito, which fired against
at six o'clock a.m.,

the hacienda

de Calleja, nearly opposite the

chapel in the lines of the

was

enemy, and the

so successful that the place

fire

was evacuated

by the enemy.

The Cazadores and the battalion of the municipal guards, both commanded by Colonel Don
Joaquin Rodriguez, and also the battery from
San Francis at once entirely occupied it. The
opened fire against the Garita de Mexico
from one side, whilst it was attacked from another

latter

172

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

by the batteries of the cruz. Arellano directed

the bombardment from the pantheon.

At
his

the same time Colonel Rodriguez with

troops left the hacienda, and advanced

and the Emperor and myself, who observed the attack from a nook in the
cruz, saw soldiers, women, horses, and mules

against the garita

through the back gate of the hacienda, near

the garita.
Our success seemed to be secured,
fly

when

the tables were turned

by an

accident.

Colonel Rodriguez, one of the bravest men I

ever knew, was ahead of his troop ; but when

about twenty-five paces from the garita he was

hit by two bullets, and fell dead from his horse.

The death

of their colonel brought the municipal guards to a stop, then they fell into confusion,

and at

last to

a retreat.

A reserve was

not there, and the acquired advantage could not

be followed up. The defenders of the garita
recovered their courage, and followed our retreating troops, who took with them the body of

up to the hacienda de Calleja. They

then made an attack against the battery there,
but were repulsed by the Cazadores. It was,

their colonel

however, considered advisable to give up the

hacienda, and to retreat again to the Chapel San
Francisquito.

Our
service

however, done good

had destroyed the wall of the corral

artillery fire had,

it

173

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

belonging to the hacienda near the garita, and

also done great damage to the hacienda de

In this

Oalieja.

affair

the Oazadores had three

severely wounded, of whom two died.

a shot in his head, which laid bare his

officers

One had
brains

still

he lived until the afternoon.

The Liberal
garita, Palacios,

colonel

who commanded

in the

was a

friend of Colonel

Rod-

riguez, with whom he had been in France as

a prisoner of war.
The death of Rodriguez was

deeply regretted by every one, and on the 2nd

of May his solemn funeral took place in the

church Oongregacion, in which were buried all

the field-officers who were killed in battle, or died
of their

wounds during the

with his whole

staff

siege.

The Emperor

attended the funeral.

The enemy had now

received fresh

ammuni-

bombarded the city in an unusually lively

manner. In the afternoon it was at last resolved
to attack the Oerro San Gregorio next morning.
Our means in money and provisions were

tion, and

now

almost entirely exhausted, and it was necessary to take measures to provide for them in

one way or other. All the inhabitants of the

city were therefore taxed according to their
means, and every one had to bring his daily

quotum to a certain place at six o'clock p.m.

The richest man in the city, a merchant of the
name of Rubio, had to pay one hundred and fifty

174

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

Castillo liad tlie superintendence

pesos a day.
of tliis affair, and under him Colonels Antonio

Diaz and Francesco Redomet were charged with

the contributions in money, and a commissioner,
Prieto, with those in victuals and forage.

On
San

3rd of

the

Grregorio

was

peror,

the

attack

against

to take place at five o'clock

a.m., but, for reasons

was delayed

May

which I do not know,

until seven o'clock,

who was very much annoyed, was

about to countermand

it

when the Emjust

however, took place

in two columns, which in the first rush again
took the first line of the enemy ; but, as usual,
it.

It,

there was no reserve, and the advantage thus

gained could not be made available. Everything

was ready for marching, in the event

our
of
being defeated, and the enemy should
enter the city.

in the cruz

General Arellano and myself were with the

in the cupola of the cruz, observing
cannon ball passed between the
the attack.

Emperor

head of the Emperor and General Arellano,

who was slightly wounded in the head and
shoulders by a piece of the wall. I stood behind the Emperor, and believing that he was

caught him in my arms. An officer who

was on the azotea of the cruz was torn to pieces

hit I

by another

ball.

I afterwards accompanied the

Emperor

to

175

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.
the Plaze de Armas, where

many wounded were

Amongst them Colonel Cavallos,

wounded in his knee, and Colonel

carried past us.

severely
Sauza, of the battalion Celaya, who died in the
soldier of that battalion on passafternoon.

ing alone quite by himself, lifted with his left

hand liis right arm, torn off by a cannon ball,

and hanging only by a piece of

skin,

and showed

Emperor, who made the brave fellow a

present and recommended him to especial care.

it

to the

The

casino,

the

former

headquarters of the

Emperor, was arranged now as an hospital

the amputated and very severely wounded.

for

The Emperor looked out for an officer to

convey to General Miramon the order to hold
the line which had been taken until he should

send him reinforcements.

As no

officer

was

at

hand I offered to go myself, but the Emperor

"
No, no, Salm look out for another, I
said,
;

would not that anything happened to you."

Captain Baron von Fuerstenwaerther went to

Miramon, but it was too late the conquered

line had been already retaken by the enemy.
This was the last attack made on our side.
;

We had made

number

of prisoners who were

assembled in the yard of the cathedral, and there
examined. They said that everything was very

camp of the Liberals, and that

would
have
been taken long ago, if
Queretaro

satisfactory in the

176

ATTEMPTS AT ESCAPE.

the generals had not been quarrelling and

That was, however, not
jealous of each other.
to be

wondered

ferent parties,

at.

Many

of

them were of dif-

and had been enemies

all

their

they were now only temporarily uniting for the termination of the siege.

life

long

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY

TREACHERY.
General Mendez now became very mucli

dis-

satisfied. He declared tliat all these engagements

had been superfluous, as they cost only men

The
bringing the least advantage.
only thing to be now done was to break through
He was so much annoyed
the enemy's lines.
witliout

that he reported himself sick without being so,

and moved to a house at the Plaza de Indepen-

He and

dencia.

Emperor

other generals hoped that the

would disengage himself from the in-

fluence of the sanguine general,

Miramon

and

Emperor still hoped that the general would

find some means to annihilate the enemy and to
Thus between mutual hopes,
raise the siege.

the

time passed away without

anything decisive being done, and our position
became from day to day more untenable.

never to be

On
ribly

fulfilled,

the 4th of

bombarded

May

the city was again ter-

but that was

now an

every

day occurrence. Our troops in the Casa Blanca

noticed a very lean ox running towards our
VOL.

I.

12

178

CAPTCJEE OF THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

lines,

and as

lie

had a sheet of paper between

Ms horns, he excited the curiosity of the

They went out

to catch him,

soldiers.

and as the enemy

they succeeded. It was a joke of

the Liberals
on the paper was written, that
did not

fire

they sent us something to eat, that we might

fall alive into their hands.
Our soldiers sent in
return to the compliment an equally lean horse,
that they might be able to overtake us when we
should cut our

The 5th

way through.

of

May was

a holiday with the

Liberals, which they celebrated, by order of

their government, in

of the great victory obtained in 1862, on that day over the

French, at the Fort Loretto, before Puebla, in

memory

consequence of which the latter had to give up

that city, to retreat to Orizaba, and to wait there
several months for reinforcements from France.

Lying on my field-bed in the afternoon,

a cannon ball passing through an adjoining hall

and knocking down a

pillar

therein,

struck

against the opposite side of the wall, exactly

on the spot where my bed stood ; but the pillar

had fortunately broken the greatest power of

the ball, and the wall resisted.

When
liis little

I sat writing in the Emperor's room,

King Charles dog,

'

Baby," on

my lap,

Lopez entered and whispered something to the

Emperor in a corner. Little Baby, friendly

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

179

almost everybody, now jumped from my

lap and attacked tlie legs of the colonel witli
inconceivable fury, and would not be calmed.
witli

The Emperor reminded me

later of this occur-

rence.

Towards night great activity was noticed in

the enemy's lines, and at half-past eight commenced, in celebration of the day, a most terIt was indeed a
rific fire fi:'om all the batteries.
rare and wonderful spectacle, as each projectile
showed its fiery line against the dark sky ; and

made by about a hundred guns, and

bursting of so many shells was not less affect-

the concert
the

ing for nervous people.

The

Liberals

had been made drunk

in

hopes

that under the influence of liquor they might

succeed iu their often-tried attack against the
bridge.

They came on this time with great

fury,

within twenty-five paces from

but they were then mowed down by

and advanced

till

the bridge ;
buUets and canister, and fled in confusion, leav-

ing a great number of dead on the field.

The Emperor stayed during the bombard-

ment, which lasted until ten o'clock, on the

Plaza de la Cruz, and hussars and body-guard

were in readiness.

The 6th of May was a day of rest in both

camps.
Accompanying the Emperor in his
usual promenade on the Plaza de la Cruz, he

130

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHEEY.

complained bitterly about Marquez, and the

The end
quarrels amongst liis other generals.
of

all his

we

like."

complaints was, however, "It is only

fortunate that we can break through whenever

He

spoke also about his relations

with Europe, and the French and their Emperor were mentioned, but by no means in
flattering

were

his

The most approving

expressions.
remarks about the Crown Prince of

Prussia, for
dilection.

whom he had a most particular preHe said, if Prussia should have a

war with France, he would accompany the

Crown Prince, provided that there was not war
against Austria.
I paid General

Mendez a

visit to-day,

whom

I found at home, not bodily sick but in an awful

humour, and he expressed himself in a manner

which made me seriously afraid that his words

would be followed by corresponding

actions.

therefore thought it to be my duty to draw the

attention of the Emperor to the subject.
This

was the

sixty- second

day of the siege proper.

On May 7th, several officers were promoted
on the recommendation of Miramon.
I was

much

astonished not to see amongst them

Major Pitner, who distinguished himself so
much at the various actions, whilst much less

very

deserving and younger majors were promoted.

I spoke to the Emperor about this injustice, and

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHERY.

181

Major Pimer
was made lieut. -colonel on the same day brave

liad the satisfaction to find tliat

Major Malburg

got also at last his

medal

for his

splendid behaviour on the 24th March.

On the 8th of May I accompanied the

peror to the trenches,

Francisquito

we saw

Em-

l^ear the Chapel de

San

the soldiers cook cactus

The Emperor asked them whether they

got their allowance.
They answered that they

leaves.

received their correct ration of mule meat, but

and beans than usual.

Between the chapel and the Alameda, we
had, about one hundred and fifty paces before
less maize, coffee,

our

a small lunette, protecting a mortar.

the Emperor left with me the trenches to

lines,

When
go to

this lunette,

he was at once fired

at.

"

Salm," he said, "remain here and wait for

me." " But," I rejoined, " I cannot suffer your
"
Yes, yes, I order you
Majesty to go alone !"
I therefore remained on the spot
where the Emperor left me, on the field between

to stay here."

the line and the lunette, until the

turned,

who was

he wanted

astonished to find

me

re-

there, as

to return behind the breastwork.

excused myself, "your Majesty ordered

to stay here, and here I am."
He shook his

"Well,"

me

me

Emperor

head without saying a word, and Avalked on.

He exposed himself always, and frequently
very unnecessarily, but was always very anxious

182

OAPTUEE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHEEY.

that

it

should not be

done by persons he

loved.

On

our

Emperor

way home

I tried to persuade the

to visit General

this distinction

Mendez, in hopes that

would act well upon the latter
;

but the Emperor declined, being afraid that it

would be against his dignity. I told him, however, that brave Cevallos

who

was lying with Mendez

same room, and that the brave

in the

colonel,

could only survive a few days longer, would

be highly gratified by seeing his Emperor once

agaiu.

The Emperor made no

me

reply, but

going with

to different places until dark, he then

to the house of Mendez.

went

On entering the room,

he stepped at once to the bed of Cevallos, and,

whilst I took my place at the bedside of Mendez,
he spoke some words of comfort to the dying
Then he came to Mendez, asked how
colonel.

he

felt

himself, and, after a few indifferent

more, as

were

Madame Mendez and

other persons
" I shall send
you

room, he said,
Salm, who has something more to

in the

Colonel

words

communicate to you."
After having seen the Emperor home, I returned to Mendez, whom I found quite delighted

with the Emperor's

still

increased,

when

visit;

but his delight was

I told

him that the Em-

peror had at last decided to cut his way out of

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHESY.

tlie

and

city,

asked

Mendez promised

liis

opinion

about

it.

to be well next morning, to

consult with Mejia, and to acquaint the

with the result.

On

183

Emperor

Mendez came. His

had returned, and we

the 9th, about noon,

health and good spirits

had a long conversation over a bottle of wine.

I told him, also, that the

Emperor wanted him

next day to attend a Council of Y/ar, in which

was to be decided how this plan was to be
carried out.

General Miramon,
General

Escobedo

for

a joke, frightened

to-day,

whose

aversion

against bullets was known to him, by directing a battery against his headquarters on the
It was, indeed, amusslope of La Cantara.
ing to see the confusion created by our shot,

and the hurry with which everybody decamped

But Escobedo did
from the headquarters.
not relish the fun of this joke of the young
it

very ill.
In the afternoon I accompanied the Emperor
again on his usual promenade in the Plaza de la

general, taking

was just at that time rather a

The cruz was not only bombarded
and shot, but from the houses near

Cruz, though

hot place.
with shell

it

the plaza, which were already occupied by the

enemy, a lively infantry fire was kept up against

any person who dared to show himself.

184

CAPTUEE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHEEY.

The Emperor was

in a very sad

day.

Eiglit shells burst

them

not,

around him

and continued

mood

to-

he heeded

his walk, but noticed

on a stone bench near the entrance several

amongst them Captain von Fuerstenwaerther and Dr. Basch, who seemed to coquet
officers,

with the danger. He sent me there to

reproach them, but they remained, probably not
a

little

proper to go away whilst their Emperor remained amidst a shower of bullets.

However, I was again sent to them to order
thinking

it

them peremptorily away.

When I

"

returned, the

Emperor said, Salm,

I do not send you away, for I know it would
Stay with me."
mortify you too much.

We

continued our walk for about a quarter

Shells and balls struck near us in
of an hour.
disagreeable quantities, but none of them would
satisfy the secret longing of the Emperor.

In the evening Colonel Lopez asked permission that the cavalry, under a Lieut.-Colonel
Jablonski, might be permitted to occupy a line

of the cruz near the pantheon, to relieve the

duty of the infantry a little. As the suggestion
of the commander of the Cruz seemed to be
reasonable, the permission

was given.

Jablonski was a Mexican, but probably of

He was a particular fi-iend of
Polish descent.

Lopez, with

whom

he was very intimate.

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TEEACUERY.

185

provisions for man and

beast were nearly exhausted.
Horses and mules
did not get any rations at all, and had to be

On

the 11th of

satisfied

May

with what they found on the plazas of

The regiment

Empress and the

body-guard still received quarter rations. The
horses of the Emperor were kept alive by provisions which Lopez had got somewhere, and I
the city.

of the

mine old straw beds, of which the

contents were chopped.

bought

We

for

still

had wine.

We

had discovered the

and confiscated

secret store of a wine merchant,

it

as

for the benefit of the hospitals,

much

as they required.

The

and sent them

rest

was sold to

and the money employed also for the

In this manner a box
benefit of the hospitals.
officers,

of

champagne was

also acquired for the Imperial

cellar.

At noon the Council of War assembled in

I remained in the
the room of General Castillo.
of
the
room
Emperor, who frequently
adjoining
entered to

hear

tell

my own

It

me what

the generals said, and to

opinion.

was resolved

to break

through the

fines of

the enemy with the whole of our little army, which

It is true
ivas still possible at anypoint we chose.
the enemy had encircled us closely with his lines,

but his whole army was employed occupying

them, without keeping any reserve at his disposal.

186

CAPTURE OE THE CITY BY TREACHEIIY.

To prevent

the

enemy from becoming aware

it was resolved to arm

of our intention too soon,

three thousand Indians of the city, who were to

occupy the lines whilst we evacuated the place.
All the guns were to be spiked by Arellano, with
the exception of three or four to make a noise.

The Indians were also to fire their muskets now

and then. Towards morning they were to throw
their arms away, and to retire to their houses.
This, however, was to be told them only at
the

last

be made

moment

present they were to

to believe that they were to defend the
;

at

we made

lines, whilst

a vigorous attack.

General Mejia undertook to organise the

did anything to please their " Pap
Tomasito," and to put the required guns in

Indians,

who

tolerably serviceable condition.

Mendez was very

glad,

though he told

me

we might depend on losing half our infantry by

desertion, but that we should reach the Sierra
Gorda.

The troops would not be harmed by

the Liberals

they would be mustered in at once

with the army, according to Mexican fashion,

but the generals would be certainly shot if

He

requested me, however, not to

say anything about it to the Emperor, for fear
that it might induce him to give up his plan.

captured.

With making preparations for the great event,

The
the 12th and J 3 th of May passed away.

CAPTUEE OF THE CITY BY TEEAOHERY.

187

Emperor sent me to Mejia to ask how far he

had advanced with his Indians. He said that
three thousand of them were ready, but not
as yet many guns, and he requested, therefore,
that the undertaking might be postponed until

the night from the 14th to the 15th, to which

the Emperor consented.

In the morning of the 14th I accompanied

the

Emperor

to the hospitals.

He was much

moved, and frequently repeated how much

him

grieved

it

compelled to leave the

but that they might not re-

be

to

wounded behind
main without proper
;

care,

he

ordered

that

doctors and nurses should remain behind with

them.

That we intended

break through this

night was known only to the generals, but at
what point was known to no one ; as it was to
to

be decided in a Council of War, to be held

immediately before the execution of the plan,
in order to make treason impossible.

On

way from the hospitals to the cruz,

the Emperor told me that he had appointed me
our

general,

and given

me

a decoration, but re-

quested me to keep it for myself until after the

evacuation of Queretaro.
The Emperor was
afraid of the jealousy of some Mexicans, and did

moment. He feared
of Miramon, who had frequently

not wish to excite

this especially

it

at this

188

CAPTUEE OF

THi] CITY

BY TEEAOHEEY.

asked him in vain to make his friend Moret a

full

This

general.

had received
what I have

general asserts

that

he

his commission,

notwithstanding
but
he
not show it.
could
stated,

know is, that the Emperor once said, " I

not make a general of him." General Moret

All I
will

wears,

the medal for .valour,

also,

and the

Guadelup cross, but I know with certainty that

he received none of these decorations from the

Emperor.
to see me.
He was in a very
and
me
to address his
good humour,
promised

Mendez came

Since the night of

troops before we attacked.
the 10th we had every night from ten to twelve
deserters,

and

at last about one

hundred

but

a far superior number of Liberals came during

the siege into the city.
These Liberal deserters
they were treated and
paid far better than in the Liberal army, where
they were also flogged, a mode of punishment
which had been abolished in ours.

were highly

satisfied, as

On

the evening of the 14th of May, everything was ready for marching. The small store
of maize we still had was distributed amongst

the regiment of the Empress, the hussars, the

body-guard, and the ofiicers, that they might
strengthen themselves by a somewhat sufficient
meal.

The treasure of the Emperor was divided

between Pradillo, Dr. Basch, Campos, Blasio,

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

myself,

We

and Lopez.

round our waists.

189

Still

had the goldounzes

later in the nis^ht came

Lopez to Blasio, to fetch the money which was

He was very indignant

to be confided to him.

that nothing was left to him but silver, and

resented it as an apparent mark of distrust,
which was not in the least intended, as nobody
distrusted him.

About

was sent by the

Emperor to Lopez to inquire whether everything was ready. Mr. Schwesinger was with
eight o'clock p.m., I

We found the colonel at home, and he

answered with the most perfect ease that all
the orders of the Emperor had been executed.

me.

The Council of War assembled

at ten o'clock to

decide about the place of attack ; but Mejia

reported that he had only twelve hundred guns
ready, and requested another delay of twentyNone of the generals opposed, and
four hours.
Miramon said " that it was still time enough,

and a longer delay would have the good effect

of making the enemy more secure and careless."
However, the Emperor decided that this must
be the last delay, and that we certainly should
break through in the night from the 15th to the
16th of May.
After the generals had left, the Emperor
sent for Lopez, and decorated him with the

medal

for valour.

Why and

for

what deeds has

190

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

remained a mystery to me.

When

Lopez had

gone, the Emperor told me

" I know
the council, and said,
you are not

the resolutions of

with this delay."

" Your
Majesty," I replied, "I must confess
that I am as little satisfied with this delay as I
satisfied

can approve the reasons of the generals. I

should think that tv/elve hundred muskets and
four guns were perfectly sufficient for masking
our attack by noise."

"Well," said the Emperor, in dismissing

" one
me,
day, more or less, will be no matter.

Take care that the hussars and the body-guard

remain saddled."
After having attended to this order, I inspected the house, and, not noticing anything,
I went to my room in rather a bad humour.

To improve

I sent the Emperor's valet-dechamhre for a bottle of champagne, which I

it,

in the
emptied with M. Schwesinger, who slept
same room with me. After this I laid down on

my

field-bed without

undressing, placing
head and my revolver under

sabre near
pillow.

15th of

my
When I awoke
May it was still

o'clock a.m.

not take

somewhat

in the

dark

my
my

morning of the
it was about five

I heard a noise outside, but did

much

notice of

it,

as

it

was always

noisy in the house in the morning.

I did not suspect any particular disorder,

and

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHERY.

191

the less as I had examined the house only a few

hours before, and might expect that anything
of an alarming character would be reported to
me by the guard.

On

a sudden

room, and said,

"
manner,
Quick
the enemy

is

Lopez entered my
in a very queer and excited

Colonel

save the

life

of the Emperor,
With that

already in the cruz !"

he disappeared, without giving any explanation

or waiting for a question. "When I had buckled

on

my

sword and put

my revolver into

the belt,

the Emperor's steward, Mr. Grill, came and

ordered me to his master. When on the point

of following him. Dr. Basch entered, and asked

what was the matter ?

"

We

I must go to the
and
tell
Fuerstenwaerther
Emperor. Hurry up,
to order the hussars to mount, and to be ready

are surprised.

before the cruz."*

When

came

to the

Emperor, I found him

dressed and perfectly calm.

we

He

said,

"

Salm,

down, and let the hussars

and body-guard march out. We will go to the
cerro, and see how we can arrange the matter.
are betrayed

I shall follow

Gro

you

directly."

"
* Dr. Basch
saddle," but that is a missays in his book
I
as
had
ordered them myself to remain saddled, and I
take,

could not

know then

to unsaddle.

that Lopez

had afterwards ordered them

192

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

I hurried to the Plaza de la Cruz,

and was

much

astonished at not seeing a single

soldier anywhere ; even the guard before the

very

Emperor's room had disappeared.

Just as

still

The company
and deserted was the plaza.
which had to guard the entrance of the cruz
had disappeared, and also the detachment of
the regiment Empress, which ought to have

At

met Captain Fuerstenwaerther, and ordered him to go to the hussars,

been there.

last I

who were quartered just across the plaza in the

Meson de la Cruz, and also to the body-guard,
and

to bring

them

here.

Before I reached the entrance of the cruz

on

return, I saw, in the nearly dawning

light of the morning, that a gun in the battery
there had been upset, and that seven or eight

my

through the embrasure

Their manner seemed very

soldiers crept cautiously

from the outside.

and on looking sharper

I thought I
of
the
uniform
the
Supremos
grey
recognized
I now hurried to the cruz, and met
Poderes.

suspicious,

Emperor descending the staircase. He was

his usual dress, but had over it a great coat,
the morning was cool and he was not well.

the
in

as

He had

buckled on his sword, and carried in

each hand a revolver.

General Castillo was close

up to the Emperor, who

was on the seventh step from the bottom of the

behind him.

I ran

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

193

staircase, took his pistols to carry them,

and in

excitement, taking hold of his

arm, I

my

" Your
Majesty, this

called out,

moment;

the

enemy

is

left

the latest

is

there !"

When we

stepped out of the door to go over

the plaza to the quarters of the hussars, we
were stopped by soldiers of the enemy. Involuntarily I raised

one

the

of

Emperor's

made a gesture with his hand,

dropped it. At the same moment Lopez

revolvers, but he

and

stepped from amongst the enemy, and at his side

Liberal colonel, Don Jose Rincon

was the

The

Gallardo.

latter recognized the

but turned to his soldiers, and

son

jpassen,

paisanos"

The

citizens).

we passed

the

and myself

in

(May

soldiers

they

pass,

aside,

stepped

Emperor,
full

Emperor,
"
Que

said,

and

and

Pradillo,

Castillo,

uniform,

are

Secretary

Blasio.

was not intended to

capture the Emperor, but to give him time to
The whole proceeding was so astonescape.
It

was obvious that

it

ishing and striking, that I looked inquiringly up

He

to the face of the Emperor.

my

look,

harm

and

*'

said,

to do good.

You

see,

It is true,

it

understood

never does any

you

find

amongst
but still,
twenty people nineteen ungrateful
now and then, one grateful. I have just now
had an instance of it. The officer who let us
;

VOL.

I.

13

194

CAPTUEE OP THE CITY BY TEEACHEEY.

pass has a sister,* wlio was frequently with the

Empress, and who has done much good to her.

Do

good, Salm, whenever you have an oppor-

tunity."

Dawn now

When we

broke.

passed the

meson the hussars were not yet ready. Pradillo was sent to tell them that the Emperor
would wait for them on the Plaza de Independencia.
On going there, we were followed by
two men of the body-guard, and Castillo entreated the Emperor to mount one of their
horses and ride to the cerro

and sent one of the men

to

but he refused,

Miramon, the other

Mejia, with orders to come with as many

troops as possible to the Oerro de la Campana.
to

A moment afterwards
He

back and armed.

Lopez came on horse-

entreated the

Emperor
M. Eubio, the banker,
where he would be perfectly safe but he was
answered, "I do not hide myself."
Lopez
to go to the house of

turned round and rode back.

On

a sudden, as

from the ground, the Emperor's piebald,

in the hands of his groom, stood there.
I sup-

if risen

pose he was brought by Lopez himself, who

obviously did not wish to include the liberty

and

life

of the

Emperor

in his treason.

Strange that none of us suspected Lopez to

be a traitor, though we had all seen him at the
* Or mother

have forgotten

Tvhich.

195

CAPTUEE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHEEY.

side of tlie Liberal

colonel,

now!
The Emperor waited

and

lie

was

free

for tlie hussars, but

they did not arrive ; but, instead of them, we

saw coming round the corner a battalion of the

enemy, and amongst the oJ0&cers riding at their

head we saw Lopez again. Castillo and I im-

Emperor to mount but he refused,

" If
saying,
you, gentlemen, walk, I will walk

plored the

also."

When

the Liberal officers at the head of the

battalion recognized the Emperor, they shortened

their steps, and we walked along the Oalle de Hos-

through the western suburb, to the

pital,

At the

cerro.

foot of the hill the strength of poor,

delicate Castillo

was exhausted.

The Emperor

took one of his arms within his and I the other,

and thus we dragged him between us up the
cerro,

It

which was occupied only by one battalion.

daylight, and a most beau-

was now bright

tiful

morning.

Suddenly we heard the

bells

from the cruz give the agreed signal that the

vile treason had been successful,
and the

"Diana"

in all the lines of the

enemy answered

the bells exultingly.

We

had scarcely arrived on the cerro when

the batteries from the San Gregorio and Caaa
Blanca opened fire against us.
masses of infantry advanced

When

dense

towards

the

CAPTURE or THE CITY BY TEEACHEET.

196

we saw our

latter,

troops

over

go

to the

enemy.
us came

Mejia and Colonel

Campos, with a part of the body-guard and

Soon

after

amongst them my
faithful shadow. Lieutenant Montecon, Lieut. Colonel Count Pachta, who was once in the
Austrian army, my chief d'escadron, and who
several

died,
fever,

mounted

ofiicers,

on his return to Europe, of the yellow

Lieut. -Colonel Pitner, and other officers,

who would have

served the

Emperor

better

if

they had remained with their troops.

The Emperor

sent for

Miramon

but he was

to assemble as many troops as

out with his staff

In one of the streets he was unexpectedly attacked by a detachment of Liberal cavalry,

and shot by the officer commanding it, in his
possible.

face.

The

bullet entered his right cheek,

came out near

his ear.

He was

and

carried to the

house of a certain Dr. Licea, an old acquaintance of his, who betrayed him to the enemy the

same afternoon.

The

we

all

anxiety with which the Emperor and

looked towards the city may be imagined.

We hoped to

some of our troops arrive but,

instead of them, came news that several batAt last
talions had gone over to the enemy.
the Emperor saw debouching from the suburb

some cavahy

see

in red uniforms, and, with tears,

CAPTUEB OF THE CITY BY TEEACHERY.

197

he called out, "Look, Salm, there come my faithful hussars."

But this was a mistake it was
;

only a detachment of a regiment of the Empress,

also wore red jackets.
The hussars had

who

followed us immediately ; but on entering a

street, they saw before them the battalion which

we met

at the Plaza Independencia.

Between

and the Plaza de Armas they were stopped

and summoned, to surrender by the traitor
this

They were compelled to dismount, and

were disarmed, with their two brave officers,
Pawlowski and Koehlig. The old hussars were
furious, and as they could not do anything else,
at least they would not give up their horses.
Lopez.

Two

hussars shot theirs, and the rest drove the

others away.
They ran up the street directly
to their stable in the meson.
When they approached the Plaza de la Cruz, the enemy, who

very uneasy, was alarmed, and thinking

an attack, the poor horses were received with

still felt

it

a volley.

One

of our battalions, however, approached

the cerro, but

when

they turned about

officer to

the noble

five

face.

hundred paces from

it,

The Emperor sent an

persuade them to do their duty

but

commander

of the battalion laughed

directly in the face of the messenger.

The Emperor asked me

to speak to Mejia
about the possibility of cutting our way out ; but

198

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TEE ACHE RY.

the general declared

it

to be utterly useless to

it.

attempt

position on tlie cerro now became very

liot.
third battery fired against us from the
western plain, and that from the Casa Blanca

Our

had advanced to the Garita de Celaya, which was

The

not far from us.

fire

was so severe that

the battalion which occupied the lines sought

shelter in the ditches.
The shells bursting

our right and

to

left,

frightened poor

"

Baby," which had followed

came for help to me. It was

and got

its

into the hands of Colonel Cervantes,

it

to me,

"
Imperatrice."

dog

master, and

lost afterwards,

the late commander of Queretaro,

to sell

little

to Europe,

and had the bad

who

refused

taste to call it

I intended to take the httle

and to present

it

to the Arch-

duchess Sophia.
In the city scattered musket-firing could
be heard. Dense columns of infantry, followed

by horse, advanced against the

cerro,

and the

three batteries redoubled their efibrts.

"

" now for a

Salm," said the Emperor,
lucky bullet." But that bullet would not come,
and the Emperor turned again to Mejia, asking
whether

was indeed impossible

to

break

but he remained of the opinion that

was impossible. Now the Emperor called

through
it

it
;

Castnio and myself, and asked Mejia for the

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHEEY.

199

time ; but the brave and bold chief an" We have

swered
only a handful of cavalry,

tliird

and part of that

is Httle reliable.

Your Majesty

look around and judge whether there is any

chance left. I care but little whether I am

may

killed

me

but I will not take on

the re-

sponsibihty of leading your Majesty to certain

death."

In addition to the
teries,

two

we now

sides,

fire

from the three bat-

received also musket-fire fii-om

and on two places of the cerro the

waved already. A longer delay would

white flag
have been madness, and, submitting to dire
necessity, the Emperor sent ofi" Lieut. -Colonel
Pradillo,

under a white

flag, to treat

with Esco-

bedo about surrender.

The Emperor, who preserved his composure,

drew a parcel of papers from his pocket, and directed them to be burnt in a tent by Blasio and
Captain Fuerstenwaerther.
were, the Emperor did not

Our
of the

fire,

"What papers these

tell me.

of course, at once ceased

enemy

but that

lasted at least for ten minutes

after the hoisting of the white flag.

Other Liberal battalions came

and the cerro was soon

fi:'om

the city,

entirely surrounded by

detachment now approached, at the

head of which was General Echegaray, who adthem.

vanced alone and very cautiously.

200

CAPTURE OP THE CITY ET TEEACHEEY.

The Emperor prepared

to receive liim.

placed himself in the centre.

To

He

his right stood

and the
The
rest of his officers grouped behind us.
Emperor unbuttoned his great-coat, to show his
uniform and orders, and, leaning on his sword,
Mejia and Castillo, to his

left

myself,

he expected the Liberal general.

General Echegaray approached in a polite
manner and bareheaded, addressing the Em" Vuestra
and
him
Majestad,"

peror,

declaring

his prisoner.

After a few words, the Emperor desired to

see General Escobedo.
The horse of the Em-

peror was brought, and also those of Mejia, who

gave one to Castillo. My horses had fallen
into the hands of the enemy, and I left the lines
to look out for one.
I saw there a groom

holding the Emperor's tall American grey, which

had been ridden always by the Empress. At
the same

moment

a Liberal horseman asked

the groom whose horse

it was, and the fool

" The
answered,
Emperor's ;" on which the
Liberal took it away right under my nose.
I

tried, unsuccessfully,

to unhorse

a trumpeter

of the regiment Empress, when my faithful

Montecon became aware of my need, and offered

me

his horse.

He had

done so once in

when my own horse was wounded.

declined

but

now

I accepted

it

battle,

Then

with pleasure,

CAPTUEE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHEEY.

and was soon again at the side of

tlie

201

Em-

peror.

We rode towards
the foot of the

horsemen
plunder.

and a

At
we saw two Mexican

the Garita de Celaya.

cerro

probably about some

One shot the other in his breast,
quarrelling,

jet of blood

gushed from the wound in

his back, as the bullet passed clear through his

"Look; how horrible !" said the Embody.

We

met a
peror, pointing towards the two.
troop of officers on horseback. One of them,
rather excited, approached the Em"I
greet
peror, and, embracing him, called out,
Archduke
as
of
but
as
not
Emperor,
you,

who was

and admire you for your heroic deAnother officer behaved in a very
fence."
He pointed his
noisy and brutal manner.
pistol at the Emperor's face, and that of other
Austria,

officers,

and would perhaps have

lived to im-

with infamy by shooting

had
not
Escobedo threatened to
MaximiHan,

mortalize

himself

shoot any one who should kill the Emperor, if

he should fall into the hands of the Liberals.
It served his purpose better to take

him

alive.

In the neighbourhood of the garita we met

Escobedo, with his staff and his body-guard,
the Cazadores de Galeano.

We now

halted,

and a ring was soon formed round the Emperor.

I was crowded off from him, but he noticed
my

202

CAPTUEE OF THE CITY BY TEEACHERT.

absence, and called

me

to

Ms

side.

We now

turned our horses, and rode back to the cerro.

I saw Escobedo here for the first time.
He
is a man of about
forty, of middle height, dark
hair and beard, and very dark
He
complexion.

wears spectacles, and has remarkably large

He is
ears, which stand off on both sides.
very friendly after the Mexican fashion, but his
face has a treacherous expression.
He had

been formerly a muleteer, then studied the law

superficially, and joined the Liberal party, for

which he organized some bands. He had the

good luck to surprise an Austrian column,
which was escorting a good sum of money, at

San Gertrudis, and got some political influence.

He is no soldier at all, and careful not to expose
his body to fire.
On our way Escobedo was at the side of
the Emperor.
staff,

General Mirafuentes,

requested the

general,

to

deliver

latter, in

up

his

the

of

name

sword.

his

of his

Another

general took mine, and the revolvers of the

Emperor, which I had placed in my belt.

On

the cerro

we dismounted.

Escobedo

invited the

Emperor to enter a tent standing

there, and I followed, as Escobedo had also an
officer

sides

with him
us four,

beheve Mirafuentes.

nobody was a witness

conversation ensuing.

Be-

to the

After the Emperor had

203

CAPTUBE OF THE CITI BY TfiEACHERI.

been standing a few moments before Escobedo,

and tlie latter remained silent, the Emperor
said

"If more blood must be

only mine."
made by the

spilled,

take

This and two other requests were

Emperor ; j&rst, in order to spare

and, secondly, to enable all persons

his house, and who wished it, to
to
belonging
his

army

get to the coast, for the purpose of embarking

for Europe.
Escobedo replied that he would

report to his government, but that the Emperor

and those belonging to him should he treated as
prisoners of tvar.
Officers of the staff of

nied

this,

will

deny

and
it

it is

also,

Escobedo have de-

possible that the general

in order to escape the re-

proach that he broke his word ; but I assert,

on my word of honour, and am ready to swear
to it in the most sacred manner, that Escobedo

what

said

is

her estated.

I neither misheard

nor misunderstood him, for the Emperor referred very frequently to this promise, and an
error

is

therefore not possible.

The Emperor was then

delivered to the care

of General Eiva Palacios, a noted chief of party.

I do not know in what relation he may have

stood with the Emperor, but

always made
cial

much

of him,

orders to treat

into our hands.

the

Emperor
and had given espe-

him well

if

he should

fall

The general behaved extremely

204

CAPTUKE OP THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

an exception, it ought to be
We were to return to
especially mentioned.
the cruz, and the general had the tact not to
well, and, as this is

lead us across the city.

were escorted

We

by the Cazadores de
One of their officers, a German-

Galeano.

American, of the name of Enking, addressed

me.
He said that he knew me in North
America, where he had been a first lieutenant
of artillery, but I did not recollect him at all.

He

told me, moreover, that

my

wife had arrived

before Queretaro a fortnight ago, and requested

permission to enter the city. As her request

was

had gone

to obtain this

San Luis Potosi

permission from Juarez, which

could not be

refused under present circum-

refused, she

to

stances, and I therefore might expect her

This as well as other

soon.

rival

officers serving in the Liberal

this

way

details

army

ar-

German

told

me

in

about the treason of Lopez;

but they were blamed for doing

vented by their comrades.

When we came

so,

on the Plaza de

and pre-

la Cruz,

we

found there part of our brave Cazadores as

When

they saw the Emperor they

uncovered, and looked on him with an expression of deep sorrow, and many of these old

prisoners.

soldiers wept.

At

the entrance of the cruz

we dismounted,

205

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

and the Emperor presented General Riva PaThe Emperor

lacios with his horse and saddle.
was then brought to his old room, which, however, like all the

rooms, was entirely cleared

In the Emperor's room, indeed, nothing

was left but his field-bed of which the matout.

tress

one

was cut

in search for

money

table,

and

Part of the stolen things, amongst

chair.

them the

silver

and

washing

toilet

as

basin,

many papers, were found in

the room of Lopez. The anger expressed by this
fellow the night before, when he found silver

pitcher, etc.

instead of gold was confided to him,

sufficient to characterize him.

Many
room

to

officers of the Liberals

see

"Maximihano

is

quite

crowded the

de

Habsburgo,'*
than
could
otherwise
not
they
conquer
by treason. Amongst them were Colonels Jose

whom

(Peppi) Rincon Gallardo, and his brother. The

former is the same officer who said in the

"

Que passen."
morning the
Speaking to
the Emperor about the treason of Lopez, he
said: "People like him are made use of, but
then kicked."
peror's

In the corridor before the

room stood a company

of the

Em-

Supremos

Poderes, and a sentinel before his door.

On

flat, balcony-like roof, opposite the door, at the

other end of the room, stood another detach-

ment

of soldiers.

206

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

Count Pachta, Blasio, and myself,

were taken to a room which was entered from
Pradillo,

that

flat roof,

so

that,

on going over

it,

we

could communicate with the Emperor. Later,

Dr. Basch joined us.
The Emperor embraced

Mejia and Castillo were quartered in the

room of the latter. It was ten o'clock a.m.

him.

when we re-entered the cruz.

The health of the Emperor had

suffered

bad food and other circumstances

he had not

by

been well before, and went to bed. He was,

however, visited by a Liberal general, whose

name

I did not hear

he sat down at his bed-

and asked the Emperor many questions

about Mexico and Vera Cruz, which he anside,

swered in his open manner. As he spoke a

great deal too much, and I feared he might tell
things which it was not necessary that
the enemy should know, I placed myself behind

many

the chair of the general, and laid

my

lips.

broke

my

finger

on

The Emperor understood, and soon

off the conversation.

We

were

all

very hungry, as

we had not

eaten anything since last night.

Sen or Rubio
sent the Emperor a slight dinner towards eveir-

ing ; but he ate only a few bits, and we divided

the rest amongst us.
The other officers about four hundred

were quartered

in

the church

of

the

cruz.

CAPTURE OF THE CITY BY TREACHERY.

where

were mucb. annoyed by

wlio came to stare at them.

tliey

officers,

207

Liberal
Lieut.-

Colonel Pitner and Major Malburg joked about

a sentinel at their door, whose thin, hungry
figure

and ragged state amused them.

Doria, a

man known

bloodhound, noticed

gentlemen ;

in the Liberal
it,

and said

these fellows are

"
:

still

Colonel

army as a
Laugh on,

good enough

shoot you."
This observation damped a
The
little the merriment of these officers.
to

command

over the cruz and the prisoners

given to General Don Pansho Yelez.

was

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOR.

In the morning of the 15th,

we were awakened

already before five o'clock, by furious drumming

in the yard below, where the soldiers had done

they could to make a noise during the night.

I looked down, and saw a Liberal officer with a
all

drum hanging round his neck, and beating it

like a madman, at the same time animating
his soldiers to support his efforts by more
noise.

some Mexicans of our Cazadores, who were already musThe foreigners,

tered into the Liberal army.
and
locked up.
were
not
trusted,
however,

Amongst the

soldiers I noticed

This day, was published the following

order of Escobedo
:

Mariano Escohedoy Division-General

can

Republic, General-in-Chief of the

army

the Mesei^

Northern

army, and commanding the troops operating

around Queretaro.

"

Soldiers,

The

valour, constancy,

and

Repubho owes
sufferings,

to your

on9 of

its tri-

200

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROE.

umplis, the greatest it has obtained in the great

struggle of the nation against the invaders

and

their

The

accomplices.

rebel

city

of

Queretaro, the strongest fortress of the empire,

succumbed, after an heroic resistance,

has

Eerdinand Maxi-

worthy of a better cause.

milian, the titular

Emperor, Miramon, Mejia,

and a large number of generals, com-

Castillo,

manders, and

together with the whole

garrison, are our prisoners. I should fail in my
duty as a soldier, and commit treason against

my

officers,

conscience as a free

man and

loyal Mexican,

were I not to speak of your heroic deeds and

your

sacrifices.

diers,

With the

who defend

country,

without

faithfulness of sol-

the independence
provisions,

and

of their

jfrequently,

without even a cartridge, you looked upon the

face of death without flinching, opposing the

numerous troops of the traitors and foreigners,

who were excellently provided with every kind
of war material, excellently fortified, and com-

manded by the best generals

of our former army,

who, unfortunately, forgot their duty in joining

the intruders, and supporting, to the last moment, the foreigners

whom

another foreigner,

Emperor of the French, placed on a throne

erected by the bayonets of his soldiers.
But

the

these soldiers are no

more here

the remain-

der of them have flown to Prance, to hide their

VOL.

I.

14

210

IMPEISOmiENT OF THE EMPEROR.

disgrace,

people
their

loaded

with the curses of a whole

and the sad news, that more than half

comrades paid

with blood.
"

Companions

for the caprice of their ruler

in

arms

It does

not matter

whether ambitious, ill-disposed persons, try to

disparage your heroic deeds, veracious history

put every one to his proper place; and

neither the enemies of the Eepublic, nor those
who remained in the places occupied by the inwill

vaders, looking with indifference on the misfortune of the country and Republic, will be placed

above those who, like you, fought without rest for

the sacred principles of independence and liberty.
" Soldiers
With all the devotion of my
!

congratulate you in the name of the

Eepublic, and the Supreme Government ; and,
soul,

made, we
will continue to strengthen the hands of peace
and order, and with them, the prosperity of our
true to the

programme which

I have

country.

" Yiva the

Republic
Independence

Viva the National

Headquarters, at la Purisima frente, Queretaro, May 15, 1867.

"Mariano Escobedo."
I need not add a single

pous

document, which

word

to this

translate

for

pomthe

211

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROE.

amusement of

tlie

reader, in order to give tliem

a sample of Escobedo's veracity.

Besides tliis, the Liberal commander-in-chief
published a notification directed to
military,

and

civil officers,

all

Imperial,

to report themselves

twenty-four hours, threatening that

one
should be shot without any trial, who
every
should not obey this order within that time.
within

In consequence of

Generals Escobar,
Casanova, Moret, Valdez, the Minister Aguirre,

and some

this,

others, reported themselves,

and were

quartered in the room of Castillo.

The Generals Arellano and Gutierez, and
Colonel

Don

Carlos Miramon, had succeeded in

their

making

from

escape

General

after

Mendez,
were searching most

Queretaro,

whom

eagerly,

the

was

and

Liberals
still

con-

cealed in the city.

"When old General

Escobar, after having

given himself up, was marched with an escort
through the streets, he met there the traitor

Lopez,

who had always been on bad terms with

The dastardly traitor had the
impudence to give his unarmed enemy

this honest

man.

revolting
a slap in the face.

We

saw much marching amongst the Liberal

the afternoon, and heard that all
troops
in

those

who

could possibly be spared, were sent

to Porfirio Diaz,

who was

besieging Mexico.

212

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROR.

Escobedo remained

in Queretaro, as

would not serve

General Don Pansho

enemy

of Porfirio Diaz, and

under

his

Yelez also

he was an

command.
was sent to Mexico, and was

re-

placed by General Echegaray, a relation of our

major of the same name.

The regiment Empress was left together,

All
and entirely oflB.cered by the Liberals.
these officers were, however, killed afterwards,

by

their

men on

and the regiment

into a guerilla band, with the
a march,

organized itself
intention of joining some later conservative

movement.
General Escobar had

made many

friends

amongst the citizens of Queretaro, and from

them he heard everything that happened. He
brought us the sad intelligence that forty of our
officers had been shot or lanced the day before.
The soldiers had placed them, as in joke, against
the walls of the corrals, and killed them with
shot, or with their lances.

Colonel de la

Cruz,

Amongst them was

of the

Colonel Campos, who fell into

enemy when wounded at the

4th cavalry, and

the hands of the
cerro,

and was

immediately despatched.
ToAvards evening we heard suddenly a peleton fire in the cruz, and Dr. Basch was sent
for,

from

whom we

church, where so

heard the reason.

many

officers

In the

were quartered,

213

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEROE.

a number of cartridges were scattered on the

Some

of

them were

ignited by cigars
which had been thrown away, and on the noise
produced by it, the officers, afraid of an explo-

ground.

sion,

thronged

towards

the

entrance.

The

guard, beheving that an outbreak was intended,

fired upon them.
Three of our officers were

wounded, and one of them was killed.

The same fate befell an officer of the Liberals,
severely

who was wounded

in the

abdomen.

The officers of the Liberals with whom we

spoke made no secret at all of the treason of
Lopez and it was knoAvn amongst them that
;

he had now practised this trade for the third

time. The first time was during the war against
the United States, under Santa Anna.

General

Escobar gave me the original of the following

document, which General Miramon showed the
Erhperor when he intended to make Lopez a
general

General Staff of the Army.

Section of the Archives.

{Circular.]

His highness the General President orders

that the ensign of the active cavalry regiment
Monterey, of Neuva Leon, D. Miguel Lopez,
shall

be dismissed from

tionally

and

for ever,

and

the

army

this in

uncondi-.

consequence

214

IMPEISO"NMENT OP THE EMPEEOE.

of bis infamous behaviour in Teliuacan, wliere

seduced the body-guard of his Excellency

the President to revolt, commanding in person
lie

the troops operating against the

army of the

United States.
This order will be made
that the same

may

known

to the army,

learn that if the

Government rewards

faithful

Supreme

servants,

also

it

punishes those who are no longer worthy to

belong to the honourable profession of soldiers.

By

high order, for your and your subordi-

nates' information.

Quijano.

(Signed)
Mexico, Jwae

8th, 1854.

It is difficult to understand

ror could confide the cruz,

person, to a

man

how

the

Empe-

and with

it

his

How-

with such antecedents.

ever, I have already remarked, I did not belidve

Lopez intended to deliver the Emperor into

Afraid of being
shot, if captured, he endeavoured to save his
hfe, and earn at the same time a good round sum
the hands of the Liberals.

of money, by giving up the city into the hands of

Escobedo. The Emperor frustrated all calculations

and arrangements to save

refusal to conceal himself in the

Rubio.

liim

by

his

house of M.

fellow like Lopez, without honour,

could, of course, not understand that a

man,

215

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOK.

an Emperor, miglit prefer

whicli

lie

deatli to

considered to be,

honour, at least against

Ms

if

an action

not against Lis

dignity.

On
was

the 17tli, early in the morning, notice

given to ns to prepare to be transferred to

the convent Santa Teresita, out of vs^hich the

poor nuns, whose order had occupied that place
for centuries,

had been driven.

We

met, on

the Plaza de la Cruz, the other of&cers. The

uncertain fate before us made us all serious,

and we embraced our friends in silence. We

were escorted by a formidable force. One battalion marched at the head, another brought
up the rear, and two companies marched to the
right and left along the houses.

The Emperor

was with Dr. Basch and General Echegaray,

in

a carriage.

much
sympathy for us, especially the women, who
greeted us with tears. When we arrived at
the entrance of Santa Teresita, many women
The

inhabitants of the city showed

passed through the lines of the guard, and gave

The poor
the prisoners oranges and cigars.

nuns had kept the convent very clean. There

was a yard inside, with a vaulted open walk
around, and a fountain in the centre.

The Emperor's room was very large, but

The same was the case with
entirely empty.
an adjoining one, where

all

those persons were

216

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROR.

quartered whom tlie Emperor had desired to

There were General Castillo,
stay near him.
Minister Aguirre, Colonel Ormachea, Lieut.Colonel Pradillo, Dr. Basch, Blasio, Colonel

Guzman, and myself. We were not, however,

allowed to communicate with the generals who
were in a separate room, or with the other pri-

who were quartered in other

As we had lost all our
convent.
soners

must

sleep on the floor, the

a serape, or
each of us.

On

parts of the
things,

and

Emperor ordered

Mexican shawl, to be bought for

the 18th of May, a long

list

of

the

all

was published. At its head stood, in

larger print, Emperador Maximiliano, which
was changed, in later issues, to Archduke FerThe
dinand Maximilian " de Habsburgo."
prisoners

health of the

Emperor improved

but

we

lost

General Echegaray, probably because he treated

us too well, and in his place came General
Rufio Gonzales,

who had been

formerly a chief

of brigands.

We

heard absolutely notliing about the

tention of the

enemy

in reference to us,

in-

and the

report was circulated that the Liberals were

shooting all foreigners, when I was called out

about eight o'clock p.m. I prepared for the

worst, and my comrades did not expect to see me
again

but it was a

false alarm, for the Liberals

217

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROE.

only wanted some information about my nationIn

matters.
ality, and other purely personal
the yard, twenty-two sentinels were placed,

night long, called to each other at the

" Sentinella alerta /" so that
top of their voice,
we could not close our eyes.

who,

all

On

the 19th of May, General Escobedo,

accompanied by General Diaz de Leon and

Colonel Villanueva, visited the Emperor.

visit lasted half an hour,

and we were

The

all

very
a
forbut
this
visit
was
excited;
only
Some
mality, and we heard nothing positive.

much

officer of

Escobedo' s

staft*

told

me

that

my

was expected to arrive very soon.

During the previous evening, General Mendez had been captured in a house, betrayed by
Escobedo was
his own servant for money.
to
to
him
rule
he had made
the
apply
very glad
in his notification, for Mendez would have been
shot under any circumstances, as he had once

wife

ordered

two Liberal generals,

Salazar, to be shot.

Arteaga and
To others who were cap-

tured even later, this rule was not applied

least, as far as I know.

at

Next morning I stood with others near the

window, when Mendez was led through the
passage opposite us. He walked fast, as usual,
and smoked a cigar. When he saw us, he
smiled, and

waved adieu with

his hand.

He

218

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEUOE.

was led

to the external wall of the Plaza de

Toros, near the Alameda, where he was to be

shot by a detachment of the Cazadores de

Galeano,

custom in Mexico to shoot those

It is the

from behind who are considered as

traitors

the opposing party, into whose hands they

by

fall.

Mendez would not submit to this insult, and,

when compelled to kneel down with his back
towards the guns, he turned round on one knee
when the men were about to fire, raised his hat,
" Viva Mexico ! " He fell on
and called
out,

wounded, but not killed, but was perconscious, for he pointed with his index

his face,
fectly

finger behind his ear, requesting in this manner

that they would shoot him there, which was
complied with by one of the Cazadores. The

body was given up to his wife. These details

were told me by the officer who commanded at
the execution, a former Swiss barber, who had
deserted from the French Legion d'Etrangers.
He had not forgotten his old trade, and offered
to

shave

of

me

course, for a consideration.

In the evening, we heard that twelve of our

guerilla officers had been separated from the
be shot in the morning; but I could
never ascertain whether this was done.
rest, to

On
arrived.

the 20th of May, about noon,

Her news was by no means

my

wife

comforting,

219

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOR.

for she said that

it

was intended to shoot us

all.

She had a long conversation with the Emperor,

in which she gave him much information, espereference to the treason of Marquez,
which mortified the Emperor far more than that
cially in

of Lopez.
It was the general

opinion that Marquez

marched towards Puebla, instead of Queretaro,

with the intention of joining Santa Anna.

The

German

ofl&cers

lieve the

Emperor, had been always quarrelling

in Mexico,

who wanted

to re-

with him.

As

the Emperor expressed a wish that he

be
might
quartered with his suite in a separate

my
with whom
house,

as with

wife went to persuade Escobedo,

she had become acquainted, as well

some

officers

of his

come before Queretaro,

staff,

when she had

to request admittance

into the city.

On

her return, she told us that Escobedo

had made some promises to her, and concluded

from his conversation that he intended to enter
into

some negotiations with the Emperor.

This

proved correct, for at four o'clock

p.m.. Colonel Yillaneuva, of Escobedo's staff,
requested the Emperor to go to the general's
The Emperor at first was unhead-quarters.

wilhng to go, but at last he changed his mind,

"
Well, Escobedo has paid me a visit.
saying,

220

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROE.

and I may return

the condition that

it

my

but he did
wife

it

only upon
and I should be per-

mitted to accompany him, to which the colonel

did not object.

The Emperor gave his arm to the princess,

and I followed with Colonel Villaneuva. We
passed the other prisoners, and they saluted
the Emperor with great respect and love.
We

then stepped into a carriage, and, escorted by

twenty-five men of the Cazadores de Galeano,

we drove

to Escobedo's head-quarters, which

since
the occupation of the city in the
were,

Eabrea and Hacienda de Hercules, belonging to

M. Eubio.
In front of this hacienda

a very large,
entered.
Near a
is

garden, into which we

basin with a fountain, Escobedo came to meet

fine

the Emperor, and went with him into a large

side-walk, where chairs were placed for the
party.

Many

curious

ofiBcers

were

standing

near the basin, and two bands were playing

alternately.

The Emperor spoke with Escobedo about

his

He

abdication.

should be brought

which he

would

asked

that

his

officers

to the coast, in return for

give

orders

to

surrender

Mexico and Yera Cruz.

Escobedo
this to his

answered that he would report

government.

On

his part Colonel

221

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEROE.

from the Emperor's, were

mencliarged to arrange between us the points
tioned in the conversation, and to write them

Villaneuva, and

I,

down.

some moments with the Em-

I spoke for
peror,

"

Do

who gave me

his instructions,

saying,

an honourable manner, for I would

He then
rather die than degrade myself."
it

in

wrote the following authorization

QUERETARO, HaCIENDA DE HeECULES,

le 20 Mai, 1867.

mon

J'autorise

Prince de

General
faites

Salm-Salm de

Escobedo,

pas

colonel

le

et je

premier

et

traiter

aide-de-camp
avec M. le

reconnais les actes

comme

faites

en

mon

nom.
Maximiliano.

(Sig.)

negotiations with the Liberal colonel

facilitated by the circumstance of his

My
were

We agreed that
speaking French very well.
my propositions in the name of the Emperor
should be

made

to Escobedo.

in the

form of a

letter directed

This letter ran as follows

QUERETAEO, HaCIENDA DE HeRCULES,

Ic 20 Mai, 1867.

Son Excellence M.

le

General Escobedo, Gom-

mandant-en-Chef des Forces Libereaux.

Geneeal,

Mon Seigneur

et

Souverain m'ai

222

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

de

autorise

traiter

vous

avec

sur

points, pour eviter plus d' effusion de

sang dans

ce pays.

Pour
1.

arriver a ce but

certain

vous propose
L' abdication officielle de la couronne du
il

Mexique ;
2. Promesse solemnelle de ne
plus jamais
se meler des affaires politiques du Mexique
;

Ordre a ses Generaux-et-Cbefs, de mettre

bas les armes et de rendre les places fortes ;
3.

4.

Ordre

au

commandant

de mettre bas

les

des

troupes
armes, de se

etrangeres
rendre sous la protection des forces Liberaux
pour se rendre a Vera Cruz, afin d'etre

embarque
5.

Qu'il

recommande

et officiers Mexicains, qui lui

la generosite
6.

de ses generaux
sont reste fidele, a

le sort

du nouveau Gouvernement

Qu'il soit escorte a

Vera Cruz par une

escorte cboisie par vous, Geueral, avec les per-

sonnes de son entourage

Que tons les etrangers qui sont prisonniers

soient transporte a Yera Cruz, afin d'etre
7.

ici

embarque.
J'ai I'iionneur d'etre, General, votre devoue,

Prince de Salm-Salm,
Colonel et aide-de-camp de S. M.
(Sig.)

Before giving this letter out of

my

hands,

223

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

I showed

it

Emperor, who made some

after which it was delivered

to the

shght alterations,
as above.

The whole negotiation

hour and

a-half, after

same manner

lasted about

one

which we returned in the

in which

we came

to our prison

in the convent.

On
French

the 21st of
oflQcers

May we

heard that twelve

in the service of the

Emperor,

who had been employed mostly as paymasters,

and who had done no other service during the
siege,

had

Escobedo.

offered their

As

it

services

to

General

would be a pity to bury in

obhvion the names of these fellows who had the

miserable courage to do such a thing, I will
give them here as they were published in the

" Sombre de
Arteaga," a Liberal Queretaro
paper Captain Ernest de Rozeville, Lieut.

Jean Ricot, Captain Charles Schmidt, Captain

Henry Morel, Captain Xavier Gaulfreron, Lieut.

Fehx

Emile Trouin, Ensign

Theodore
Heraud, Lieut.
Eugen
Emile Pejuin, Lieut. Victor Nomel, and Lieut.
Paul Gruyon.
Kieffers,

Lieut.

Bailly, Lieut.

Escobedo answered them in a letter couched

and contemptuous expressions.
"
told them
that the cause of the Liberals

in very severe

He

could be fought out by themselves, and that he

could not accept the services of people who, in

224

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEROR

the face of their suffering

companions, could
make such an infamous offer, and from whom a
similar behaviour

might be expected on a future

occasion."

The

steps taken

by those twelve

ofl&cers

caused

a storm of indignation amongst the

prisoners; and the other French ofi&cers sent

me

the following letter for the Emperor, which

I promised

names

them

Des Frangais

to publish later, with their

prisonniers, a sa Majeste

officiers

Maximilien, Empereur du Mexique.

Sire,

Nous avons appris que

oJBB.ciers

prisonniers,

comme

des Franfais
vous, avaient de-

mande au General Escobedo lafaveur de

servir

dans son armee.

La

feuille

cet acte

le

Liberale a justement apprecide

taxant d'infamie, et le General

Escobedo a bien

hommes
pareille

qui

demands dans de

Comme
siege,

de ne pas accepter des

n'ont pas craint de faire une
fait

pendant tout le
a aucune affaire), sont

ces officiers

n'ont

assiste

telles circonstances.

(qui,

rran9ais, et que voire Majeste pourrait croire

quil ont ete les interpretes de

nous nous empressons,

participation

nos sentiments,

de rejeter toute,
cet acte inqualifiable, qui a
Sire,

souleve notre indignation.

226

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOR.

Nous

profitons de cette circonstance, Sire,

pour donner a votre Majeste 1' assurance de

notre entier devouement et que, quoiqu'il puisse
arriver, nous nous ne nous avilerons jamais.

Nous sommes, avec

le plus profond respect,

votre
Sire,
Majeste les tres humbles, et

les tres fideles sujets,

A. Page, capitaine ; Eugene Chardin, Adolphe

Marie, Jean Marc, Jean Baptiste Gobin, Jero-

nimo Guitard, Charles Bomet, Adolpbe Charton,

Des-

Charles Eloy, Antoine Yignoli, Charles

prez,

Gustavo

van

Henzy Yoignier,

Haecht,

Eugene

Gaspard

Wery,

Frederic

Laroche,

Leopold Dreysse, Adolphe

Chigon,
Chretien
Adolphe Bouzeran,
Ludwig, Charles
Eilliatre,

Schupbach, Jean Lugeon, Adolphe Sibenaler,

Zacharie Deplace, Albert Hans, Henzy Ehrmann, Louis Depain, Jean Baptiste Parison,
Ernest Coudray, Jean Nicolas Girardin, Leopold
de Potter, lieutenants.

Of

our

captured soldiers the Liberals

took
scarcely
any care whatever, as may be
seen from the following letter, which I received

Your Highness,

In

the

name

of

all

his

imprisoned comrades, the undersigned requests

you, for the mercy of God, to represent to his

VOL.

r.

15

226

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOR.

Majesty the Emperor, our miserable position,

that we, as faithful servants of his Majesty, may
not be starved to death. Since our capture on
the 15th, until now, most of

us have eaten

scarcely a morsel, so that every one of us already wishes for death in any other manner.

We,

therefore,

beg your Highness to induce

his

Majesty to favour us graciously with a charitable

gift.

Ivan Btjdsky,

Imprisoned hussar, in the name of his

comrades.

When my

came in the afternoon, she

had forgotten her pass, and was refused admittance by the officer of the guard in the most
rude manner. I was furious at this, and paced
The Emperor, who was
the room in a rage.
just then with us, and was a witness of the
scene, pointed smilingly at me, and said to the
wife

other gentlemen,

"

There, look at the lion in the

cage."

When

returning with her permit, my wife

brought for the Emperor and myself some much

welcome linen.
On the 22nd of

May we were

informed that

the Emperor, some of his suite, and the generals

were to be transferred, not to better quarters,
as

we had hoped, but

to the convent of the Ca-

227

IMPRISONMENT OP THE EMPEEOE.

pucliiiis.

The reason of

this separation

became

known

to ns only later.
"
Escobedo bad received from tbe

Government" tbe order

to sboot us

Supreme

all

witbout

delay; but be remonstrated, and said tbat it

could not be done witbout a previous trial, and

migbt involve tbe government in difficulties

witb tbe United States, wbicb bad already expressed themselves

officially

about the proceed-

ings at San Jacinto, highly disapproving of it.

The Emperor was lodged in tbe pantheon,

or grave vault of tbe convent; tbe generals

were quartered in a large ball, and we in some

As tbe Emperor
place adjoining tbe pantheon.
did not feel well. Dr. Basch was sent for at his
when tbe doctor asked me where the
Emperor was, I frightened him horribly, without

desire

" In tbe
intending to do so, by simply saying,

tomb."
In

this

convent

we met Miramon,

his

head

The Emperor embraced him.

Tbe latter was to-day visited by the Hamburg
Yice-Consul in San Luis Potosi, Mr. Bahnstill

bandaged.

sen.

"We were, however, not to stay long in that

horrid place, but were transferred on May 23rd
to another court,

where we had a

little

more

comfort, and three or four persons were quartered in a celL My wife did not give up her

228

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

endeavour to get a separate house for the

peror, but she was put off with promises.

Em-

"When, on 24th of May, I was sitting with

the Emperor in the yard, in the centre of which
stood a very large lemon-tree, Colonel Palacios,
Gonzales, had the especial guard

who under

over the prisoners, called me aside and requested

me to tell the Emperor to prepare for his removing to a separate room, as his trial was

about to commence, he would have to be alone

and without communication with the other

When

I had fulfilled this disagreeable duty, the Emperor ordered his steward,
Mr. Grill, to pack up his things whilst I walked
prisoners.

with liim up and down the yard.

He

remarked,

"You

see they progress slowly, but securely*

It will be soon at an end."

saw lying on the ground a thorn crown,

which had fallen from the head of a wooden
image of Christ, which had been used by the
I

and picked it up. The

"
took
it
fiom
Emperor
my hand, and said, Let
me have it, it suits well with my position." He
soldiers as firewood,

gave the thorny crown to Mr. Grill, and ordered

him to hang it up in his room.

The

which the Emperor was confined

was in an upper story of the convent, as were
cell in

Miramon and Mejia. Before each

of these cells a sentinel was placed. As the
also those of

IMPEISONMENT OP THE EMPEROE.

lie,

Mr.

Basch near Mm,

desired to have Dr.

Emperor

Grill,

229

and the valet-de-chamhre, Severo,

were placed in

cells close to

those of the

Em-

peror.

From

a conversation I had with Colonel

who had been

a prisoner in France,
and spoke French tolerably well, I learnt that
In
there was but little hope for the Emperor.
Palacios,

the course of the conversation

I.

remarked that

the Mexican Government would do well to take

an example from the North American Govern-

ment
South,

their treatment

in

of the rebels of the

on which Palacios

said,

" The North

Americans are our born hereditary enemies. We

will neither have anything to do with them or
with you

we can

exist without

any of you."
of living quite alone
without any connection with other nations, and
without any trade, after the example once given
;

I ridiculed the idea

by China and Japan, but he sustained his opinion,

and said that Mexico producedeverythingrequired
for her existence,

I endeavoured

and needed no foreign relations.

to induce

Colonel Palacios to

permit me to communicate with the Emperor,

as he before his death would have to make many
arrangements. However, it is impossible to get
from a Mexican a straightforward answer, and
I could get nothing except some vague promises.

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

230

When my

wife

came on

tlie

2bth of May,

she was in a state of great excitement, for she

had heard for certain that the Emperor and

myself would be shot, and that the trial of the

former had commenced this day. The law of
January, 1862, would be applied,
that every one captured in arms
orders
which
should be shot. The whole law proceeding, the

25th

of

execution included, would be finished within

three days. At the same time with the Em-

peror Mejia and Miramon were to be tried,

and after them three others, according to
their

scale

enabled to

of rank.

make

how soon my
"With

In this manner I was

the interesting

calculation

turn would come.

some

difficulty

was permitted by

Palacios to see the Emperor, but only in the

That
presence of the officer of the guard.
officer

happened to be my Swiss barber, who,

remained standing at the

for a consideration,

door, watching that

nobody disturbed our con-

versation.
I informed the

from

my

wife,

Emperor

of

what

had heard

and we agreed that she should

San Luis Potosi to try her luck with

Juarez, and obtain, if nothing else, a delay at
least, as time is a great deal under such circum-

travel to

stances.

My

wife

was very busy that day.

She came

231

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOR.

several times to

my prison,

and

for the last time

when

she prevailed upon

some officer to bring both of us to the Emperor,
from whom she received her instructions. From
at eleven o'clock p.m.,

the Emperor she went to Escobedo, to tell him

that she was going to see Juarez, and requesting
him to postpone the execution until her return,

which she would hasten as much as possible.

Escobedo promised according to
Mexican

She departed the same night.

26th May I had a long conversation

fashion.

On

with Colonel Villanueva, who was an educated

man, and not so bloodthirsty as most of his

The resume of his conversation

Maximilien est perdu," and there was no

fellow officers.

was,

*'

remedy against

it.

I endeavoured to go to the Emperor, and

at last successful.
As nothing so much

was

prevents vigorous

thought

it

to be

my

Emperor the true

chiefly to win him
across

my

brain

action

officer of

weakly hope, I

duty to represent to the

I did this
state of things.
to an idea which had flitted
all

which alone promised

An

as

these

days

viz.,

escape,

help.

the troops occupying the con-

vent, an European, visited

me

frequently,

and

smoked a

As he was not

par-

cigar with me.

ticularly disagreeable, and I always got news

from him, I tolerated his company, and gave

232

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

Lim money
officer was

as often as he applied for it.

This
to assist me in the escape of the

Emperor, and I was almost certain that he would

not refuse to do this service.

The Emperor was

first horrified

at the idea

of " running away," but I attacked his prejudice

with all the reasons and arguments I could

muster.

I proved to

him that he had done

more than sufficient for his " military honour,"

and that it was a duty he owed the world to
preserve his life that he was only thirty-five
years, and a brilliant future was before him,
and he might still be of very good service to
;

humanity.

The Emperor was

bade

me

consider

at

that

last

persuaded, but

forfeited

my own

such a plan should be discovered. I requested him not to be troubled on my account,

life if

as, in

the worst case,

it

was

tolerably indifferent

whether I was shot a few days sooner or

When
for

I returned to

my

Liberal

later.

room

I prepared myself
my
officer with a few bottles of

wine and other things, and he soon made his

appearance.
I came at once to the point, saying to him :
I will speak plainly to you. You are here a lieu-

and have not been paid for months.

You see most of the Mexicans, whether Liberals
tenant,

or Imperialists are blackguards, and you have

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOK.

indeed very

little

chance here.

I will propose

something to you, by which you

Assist

fortune.

As soon

as

me

in

233

may make your

saving the Emperor.

the gate of the con-

we have passed

vent, I will give you three thousand piastres

(I held the roll of gold right under his nose),

and on our arrival in Havana I will pay you a

thousand ounces of gold (about four thousand
pounds) more ; besides care will be taken of
your

fiiture in

Europe.
not make any other objection,
but accepted at once. I then gave him a little
note for a personage in Queretaro, whom I

The

officer did

informed of my plan, and requested to assist me.

As

it

was

desirable for

me

to

communicate

freely with the Emperor, I requested the same

to write to the Fiscal about it.
He did so, and

the Fiscal sent

following note

"

me on

Puede

the

27th of

May

the

* Salm hablar con

pres
Maximiliano en espauol y delante del com andante
de la guardia, Queretaro, Mayo 27 del 1867.
Fiscal,

el

" ASPIEEZ."

From
room

that time I

was almost

day in the
of the Emperor, whither I was accom-

* Fres means
prisoner.

<.

in

all

Mexico not a prisoner of war, but a criminal

234

IMPRISONMENT OP THE EMPEEOR.

panied by an

oflacer

Though we were

who took me back

also.

to have spoken Spanish only,

it

mix now and then a Spanish word

in the conversation.
As the officer's room was
close by and the Emperor's room
open, the
former was supposed to be present. We dis-

was

sufl&cient to

pensed with his company with pleasure.

The next thing I did was to inform the

Em-

peror of my success with the officer I have

mentioned. The Emperor desired me once to
" for future times
measure his

;" therefore I

cell,

will describe it as well as its surroundings.

The part of the convent in which we were

imprisoned, was a building enclosing a small,
quadrangular yard. Eound three sides of this
yard ran in both stories passages, or open galleries, with stone arches open towards the yard,

which once had been closed with trellis work,

but which was now broken away, and left only
in its upper parts.

The fourth

side of the

yard

was separated from the adjoining similar one by

a wall.
The Emperor was in the upper story. The
opened on the passage with
the arches, and also the windows.
The staircase leading to the upper story was in one of
doors of the

cells

After ascending it, one had on the

right a cell in which were the captain and lieutenant of the guard ; in another were the men ;
the corners.

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOR.

235

at the opposite side was, in the left corner, the

cell of the Emperor ; next to it that of Miramon,

and, in the right corner, near the separating

wall, was the cell of Mejia.

To
cells

of the staircase were only two

the next was occupied by the Emperor's

the

steward

left

Grill,

and

his

Mexican valet-de-chamhre

The
the other by Dr. Samuel Basch.
one long wall of Dr. Basch' s cell was separated
from the Emperor's cell by the passage, which
Severe

formed thus a kind of niche.

Before each of

the doors, always open, of the

two generals, stood a sentinel.

Emperor and the

The
by

Emperor measured six paces

Opposite the window opening stood a

cell

four.

of the

field-bed with a chair at its foot,

and a small

table at its head.

On the diagonal
of this square table stood four silver candlesticks with wax candles, the only luxury which

mahogany

Emperor would not relinquish, and besides

some trifling things lay on it, which were always
arranged in the same convenient order. Acci-

the

dental disturbance of this order offended the eye

of the Emperor, and was corrected by him im-

On

always stood a glass

with sugared water, covered with a card against
the many flies.

mediately.

this table

In the other corner opposite the door stood

a table, at which I was usually writing.

To

236.

IMPEISONMENT OP THE EMPEROE.

the right of it, against the short wall, stood a

box of the Emperor's, which had been recovered

from the room of Lopez. In the corner opposite the bed, and near the window, was a
washstand.

As

the

Emperor did not

feel well,

he usually remained in bed until noon, and was

up only for a few hours.

On

the 28th of

May

Emperor came again

the examination of the

to

a stop, and a lively

exchange of telegrams between Escobedo and

Juarez took place. When I was sitting at the
bedside of the Emperor, he remembered that,

though he had appointed me general and promised a decoration, I had not yet received the
Though his powers were now at an
patents.
end, he said he hoped that I might require such
documents, and therefore ordered Blasio to make

them out from the date of the verbal appointHe made me grand
ment, viz., May 14th.

He also
of the order of Guadelup.
my wife lady of honour of the San Carlos

officer

made

order, which

excellent

had been

Empress

instituted

Carlotta.

He

by the most
would

said he

have made her "palastdame" of the Empress, but

that it was an impossibility, as the document
signed by the Empress herself.
General Castillo, Colonel Pradillo, Dr. Basch,

had to be

and others were

Aa

also decorated.

everything was

now

uncertain, and

we

237

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

might be separated unexpectedly, the Emperor

told

me to trust to his

who was

my

my

whether there was a

but as

note should
dictated

it

me

room, I might always look

might be dangerous if such a

hands of the enemy, he

2,

and things

Miramon

6, the oJB&cer of the

6,

my

Mexico

note concealed in the

little

the following numbers as marks

Emperor
wife

carried

into the

fall

for different persons

1,

As he

a true and reliable man.

breakfast to

bread

vaJet-de-chamhre, Severos,

7,

3,

Salm

had won

the Liberals

Mejia

enemy whom

another

officer of

Yera Cruz

4,

Tampico
Matamoras; 12, Turpan; 13, horses; 14,
15, Austria; 16, man-of-war; 17,
8,

9,

small boats;

19, mules;

of the

enemy;
Washington

chiefs

Orleans

24,

10,

20, physician;

22,
;

Havana;

23,

11,
;

18,
21,

New

25, Liberal govern-

ment;

(26, left out); 27, Marquez.

the 29th, an officer mounted guard whom
I had not hitherto seen, and who was more

On

strict

than the

speak

much with

I therefore

rest.

could not

the Emperor, but had enough

to arrange in reference to our escape, which

was made extremely

by the Emperor's
positive declaration that he would not fly without
Miramon and Mejia. Measures had, therefore,
difficult

to be taken accordingly.

When

the

infantry

officer,

my

confidant.

238

IMPRISONMENT OP THE EMPEEOR.

came

to see

could be

me

to-day, he said that nothing

done without the officer of cavalry

who commanded

the guard near the Emperor's

room, and that he had already spoken to one,

he asked permission to come and see me.

whom

seemed to

me

rather dangerous to
take so many persons into our confidence, the
thing was done, and I felt glad that this officer

Though

it

of cavalry was one with whom I had been

already
connected in money matters.
I sent

now

structions to

to

my

confidant in the city in-

buy the following necessary things

and six sabres. For
:

six horses, six revolvers,

the use of the Emperor, I ordered that mypiebald

horse should be repurchased, as it was taller than
the Mexican horses, and an excellent jumper. All
these horses and arms were to be concealed in

houses by lady friends. The

officer of cavalry,

my

was ready enough to save the

Emperor and myself, but it was rather difficult
to make him agree to the escape of Miramon
and Mejia.
old acquaintance,

On

the 30th of May, at breakfast, I found

in my bread the following pencil-note of the
Emperor, which I have still, framed under

"I
glass
require necessarily black thread
for binding, beeswax for pasting, and, if pos:

sible,

a pair of spectacles.

On

the horse

must

be fixed two scrapes, two revolvers, and a sabre.

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOR.

Not
and

to

bread

forget

chocolate.

or

biscuit,

riding-wMp

is

red
also

239
wine,
neces-

sary."

The Emperor would not cut

beard, but tie
spectacles.

off his beautiful

behind the neck, and put on

said he would look so ridiculous

it

He

he should be retaken, and

had laughed himself very much on seeing
General Casanova, who had cut off his enormous
moustaches the better to disguise himself, and
without a beard

if

who

could scarely be recognized by his most

intimate friends.
I went to see the Emperor, but could not
speak much with him until the strict officer was

noon by another whom we already

cell was on the ground-floor,
and those of the Emperor and the two generals
upstairs, I should have to pass sentinels on two
sides, and the Emperor therefore requested

relieved at

knew.

As my

Escobedo to transfer

me

to the

Basch, as he required

my

assistance in wiiting

down his last will.

The Emperor told me

that Lopez had had

room

of Dr.

the impudence to offer his services, but that he

The traitor was
had, of course, declined them.

not satisfied with the Liberals, who had paid

him only a small part of the stipulated sum.

The Emperor spoke of Lopez, the traitor through

cowardice, only with contempt, but of Marquez,

240

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

the cold-blooded, calculating traitor, with indignation.

people procured from Escobedo permission to see the Emperor ; and when my wife

Many

returned, very sad and weary, in the evening,

from San Luis Potosi, some Americans were

with him. One of these visitors described the
scene in a paper, and I will give his description,
as that of an unconcerned eye-witness frequently

conveys a far more correct idea of a situation,

than can possibly be done by one of the inte-

rested persons
bustle was heard outside;
:

"A

the heavy
door was opened, and a soldier announced, La
senora !' In an instant Prince Salm-Salm held
'

the new-comer in his arms.

She was the volun-

tary messenger, his wife, who had just arrived

from San Luis Potosi from Juarez. Her face

was sunburnt and

soiled,

her shoes were torn,

her whole frame trembled with nerveless fatigue

as she laid her hands upon her husband's

The archduke came forward eagerly,

waiting his turn. The prince was heard to ask
in a whisper,
Have you had any success ?
shoulders.

'

What
"

did Juarez say

?'

do what they have said in the

They
despatches. They have granted the delay.' She
'

will

turned to Maximihan,
so glad.'

Oh, your Majesty, I

am

241

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

" Maximilian took

kissed

'

it.

liave

you

said,

May God

tlie

princess's hand,

bless you,

madame

and
lie

!'

been too kind to one wlio

is

afraid lie can never serve you.'

" The
princess forced a smile.

Do

'

not be

I shall have
too sure of that, your Majesty.
favour
to
ask
for
the
some
prince, here, yet.'

"

'

You will

never need to ask that, madam,'

responded the archduke, leading the lady to a
'
seat.
But you look weary. You are very
tired.

We

must care

can

offer

for your

you

httle.

Prince,

you

'

"

Turning his face aside, Maximilian moved

It was easy
abruptly towards the window.
His grief was restrained, but
almost audible. The prince with one hand on
to

see

why.

the back of his wife's chair, and with the other

uphfted toward the archduke in mute protestation

could hardly restrain his own emotion."

was time intrusion should cease. The

visitor, who had already reached the door, made
It

an unnoticed salute and withdrew.

On May

31st, in the morning, I

at the bedside of the

(perhaps

still

was

sitting

"
Emperor, when
Jimmy"

recollected

from

Tulancingo),

stormed through the door, jumped right on the

bed of the Emperor, and was extremely glad to
see

me

again.

face of the
VOL.

I.

A bright

smile played over the

Emperor, when he

''

said,

There, our
16

242

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

coming !" for of course the

Jimmy was followed by his mistress.

guardian angel
irrepressible

is

At breakfast already I received by the

bread-mail the following little note, written by
Dr. Basch, from the Emperor
" You must cause the
Consul
:

Hamburgian
Bahnsen to telegraph to the English, Italian,
Prussian, Belgian, Spanish, and Austrian legations, that the process against the

commenced,

and

that

he

Emperor has

requires

time

to

arrange urgent and important private business,

as also important international affairs between
Austria and Belgium, concerning the person of

the Empress."

was now resolved that the princess should

go to Mexico and return thence with the Prussian
minister. Baron von Magnus, and a lawyer.
It

For the former the Emperor dictated

following letter

to

me

the

QuEHETARO, Slat May, 1867.

Deae Baeon von Magnus, I wish very

much to see you, and request you to come
here as soon as possible ; bring with you the
Austrian and Belgian representatives, as I have
to arrange with both gentlemen some important
I
family affairs of an international character.

beg to have Colonel Schaffer and Count Khevenhueller

perhaps

it

may

be arranged to send off

243

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

both gentlemen as Prussian or Englisb. couriers.

Schaffer and Khevenliueller shall wait for me in

Havana.

Perhaps

it

might be well to bring

also our English representative.

to send

things to Messrs.
"Will and Co., Prussian Consuls in the Havana.
I request

you

my

Your

affectionate

Maximilian.

(Signed)

When

had

finished the letter the absence

Jimmy was discovered. Where could he be ?

After much calhng he condescended to pop his

of

black nose out of the Emperor's bed, where he

to the horror of my wife
was taking a nap.

The Emperor laughed when the

free-and-easy

American, who

does not care either for kings or

emperors, resisted his being removed.
The Emperor now spoke about our escape
" The white
and we
he
was
;

said,

flag

hoisted,

surrendered as prisoners of war, and as such

Escobedo has acknowledged us, on the Cerro de
la

Campana .... Juarez has not accepted my

conditions, and, instead of

prisoners of war,

we

are

considering us as
treated as rebels;

we are under no obligations whatever."

was arranged that we should go first to

therefore,
It

the Sierra Gorda, and from thence to Tuspan, a

place on the coast, from whence the Emperor

would reach Yera Cruz, which was

still

occupied

244

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

by our

forces.

He hoped

here to obtain better

conditions from the Liberals, especially for his

subjects that had remained faithful to him.

The Emperor

dictated the following instruc-

which I copy from my tablets

" The Austrian
ships in Vera Cruz are to be

tions,

instructed carefully where they are to

cruise

(under-score that!).
Signals during night and
Besides this, to send
flags in the daytime.
small boats frequently on shore.
It would be

good to enter into communication with English

and Spanish vessels."
For the minister Aguirre, who was with me
in the same room downstairs, the Emperor gave

the following instructions

"Letter to the Austrian and Belgian ministers
to come immediately, to treat with them family
:

affairs of

an international character.

Minister

Aguirre has to sign."

After I had left the Emperor, I had a

from

my

Liberal officer

comrade of the cavalry

who

told

me

visit

that his

would mount the guard

near the staircase on the 2nd of June, and that

he himself would command the infantry guard

at the entrance of the convent.

The escape

must therefore be made

2nd to 3rd of June, but the cavalry

in the night

declared

it

from the

officer

had

utterly impossible if the captain,

who was with him

in the

same room, was not

245

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROE.

won

for the

undertaking

stopping half way.

tain, and found him

man

He

of the three.

tions,

and

There was no

also.

I had to speak to the capto be the most energetic

accepted

my

offered to take with him, as

proposi-

an escort,

twenty-five men, which was very acceptable.

In case that he should lose his hfe in the under-

taking

five

thousand pesos were to be paid to

cut

That we should all be

down if overtaken, he was certain.
The next day the Emperor wrote the follow-

ing

bill

his family immediately.

of

session

exchange,

which

is

still

in

QuERETAHO, June

The bank house

in

my

1st,

pos-

1867.

has to pay to
in case the latter

the family of Captain

,
should die, the sum of five thousand pesos

(5000) immediately.

Maximilian.

(Signed)

The Emperor then

the following

told

me

to write

down

" To
procure a good guide to the Sierra
Gorda
to buy dark lanthorns ; to poison
;

cavalry horses, or to make them unserviceable

not to forget writing materials."

As

the garrison left in Queretaro was not

numerous, not many cavalry horses would have

246

IMPEISOTiMENT OF THE TIMPEROK.

to be rendered unserviceable, or to be killed in

order to

make

When

pursuit impossible.
I came to see the Emperor, June 1st,

about noon, and

we spoke much, about our

escape, the question

was

treated,

whether Dr.

Basch was to be made acquainted with the proThe Emperor was against it
he said,
ject.
" Dr. Basch is a faithful
but I am afraid
;

soul,

that he would betray us by his nervous manner.

As he, however, might become aware that some-

thing was preparing,

we had

him that
San Luis Potosi, and
better tell

was probably going to

that you only would be permitted to go with
me. To make that appear more likely let him
give you some prescriptions for me which I
I

under any circumstances."

remarked also that when he was in luok

shall require

He

he had many persons about him who tried their

best to please him, and said, " I regret, Salm,
that you have only to share the bitter with me,
but I hope to God better times will come."

As we

discussed the difficulty caused by the

situation of our cells in diff'erent stories, and

the possibility of our separation, we agreed

what we should do in that case, and also if only
" That I
one of us should succeed. I
said,

certainly would give myself up again

if

the

Emperor should be retaken or prevented from

"
No, I do not
escaping ;" but he answered,

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

want you

to do that

by any means

I order

247

you

On my

question where he
wanted me to go in such a case, he directed me
to go on board the Austrian ship, " Elizabeth,'*

positively to go."

in the harbour of

Yera Cruz, and gave me the

following letter for her captain

QuERETARo, Junel,1867.

Deae

Captain, von Geoellee,

send you

with the present my general and aide-de-camp.

Prince Salm, now chief of my household, recom-

mending him

to you most warmly.

Take him
on board of your ship in order to wait there

for

me

or

my

instructions.

Your affectionate
(Signed)

The departure

of

my

Maximilian.
wife to Mexico

had

been delayed, as no conveyance was to be had ;

and I was glad of it, as my confidant officer told

me that
He and

everything was prepared for the escape.

two associates mounted guard at

2nd
noon the
June, to remain there for fortyI
hours.
saw the Emperor at one o'clock
eight
and it was definitively resolved to make our
escape the same night.
Everything was as favourable as could be.
The only person we had to fear was Colonel
Palacios.
For his ferocious appearance, which
was still increased by his squinting, the Emhis

248

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROE.

peror,

who

called

Mm

liked to give people nicknames,

the "hyena."
He was, however,
not quite so ferocious as he looked, and was out
of the way, as he had his lodging in one of the

two courts of the convent, which was very remote from ours. The guards commanded by
our three officers were the only ones in the convent, and Mexican soldiers do not think, but
merely do what they are ordered. In the city
were but few soldiers, and small patrols went

through the streets only until eleven o'clock

p.m. As we were all armed, and had twentyfive horsemen with us, a chance rencontre was
not dangerous. There were no posts outside
the city, and no troops whatever between it and
the Sierra Gorda.

When
cigar,

I walked in the passage smoking a

a sign.
Watching for

Miramon made me

an opportunity, I dropped
came near him. He handed

my
me

with matches, and on opening it

neath the few matches a paper.

cigar

when

pohtely his box

I discovered beI

lighted

my

but
cigar and then returned the match box
according to Mexican politeness he declined,
;

and I put
sentinel,

it

who

in

pocket directly before the

stood about a yard from us. When

my

had an opportunity
**

I read the following note

Mis caballos han

sido tornados ayes, de

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOR.

249

consigaiente no tengo, en cuanto a, los pistolos

estanacon migo. Quisiera saber la manera como

N. tiene arreglado esto, por que temo muclio si

no iina traicion, si una maladireccion, que pueda
costarmi la vida aminado

(!),

momento. Yuestre amigo.

On

this

escribamelo N. al

" M. M."

day Miramon had

pleasure of seeing his wife,

from Mexico with his infant

tlie

melancholy

who had
child,

arrived

two months

old.

At one

o'clock p.m. a telegraphic despatch

arrived, announcing that Baron Magnus and the

two best lawyers of Mexico, Martinez de la

Torre and Eiva Palacio, the father of the
general,

had started

for Queretaro.

The Emperor sent

for

me

about

five o'clock

and told me that the journey of my wife was

not necessary now, and that lie tcould not escape
that night

If a thunderbolt

had

fallen at

my

feet,

could not have been more aghast, for such a

favourable opportunity for escape would never

occur again. I implored the Emperor almost

on my knees not to postpone his escape, espe-

reason for it was of so little ac" "What

would the ministers, whom I in-

cially as his

count.

vited here, say !" he exclaimed, *' if they arrived

and did not find me !" " They would be heartily

250

IMPEISONMENT OP THE EMPEEOR.

glad to see you anywhere else," I replied. But

the Emperor remained firm, and tried to
appease

my fear

for his

"

by saying, They will not

be in such a hurry, and a few days more or less
will be of no account."
It was almost the same
answer he gave

life,

me on

the evening of the 14th

is, however, not the only prince who
May.
has had to mourn over a " too late !"

He

When

communicated to the

officers of

the

guard the resolution of the Emperor, I had the

utmost trouble to appease them, for they were
not only afraid of losing the promised reward,
but also of discovery. Too many persons knew

about the plan, and

if [not

carried

out that

would certainly be betrayed at present

night,
nothing was yet known, and success was as
it

good as certain.
I saw the Emperor again, but he insisted
on the postponement of the escape until the

Baron von Magnus, in whom he had

" as the same had assisted him
great confidence,
in everything so energetically and faithfully,

arrival of

whilst those representatives, of whom he might

have expected assistance with far better right,

had acted miserably and almost in a hostile

manner. Had they not taken so much trouble
to induce the foreign troops to leave the country,

they might have remained and have done

very good service."

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROE.

He

regretted very mucli that

251

tlie

English
Mexico, for he

had left
have
would
knew that he
supported the endeavours of Baron von Magnus.
minister,

Mr.

Scarlett,

On June

3rd I was with the princess in the

room of the Emperor. Alone with me he usually

me by my Christian name,

but always with

I never
the wi'ong one, Filip instead of Felix.
permitted myself to correct him, but my wife
did.
I mention this circumstance as the Emcalled

peror used this

Christian

name

an

in

official

document, and I had some trouble in proving

that I was the person really meant and no other

The Emperor presented each of us with

photograph, and wrote his name underneath.

man.
his

On

the 4th of

June the Emperor rose

earlier

than usual, as he expected the foreign ministers,

who disappointed him, however, that day. To

while away the time he arranged a domino party
formed by the passage before his cell,
and Mejia, Miramon, and myself took part in it.
The Emperor was to-day in very good spirits,

in the niche

and explained the game to Mejia, which seemed

to tire Miramon, who looked at me with a
smile of resignation.
About noon came at last
the very

much longed

cobedo, for

my

for permission

removal to the

cell

from Es-

which had

been occupied until then alone by Dr. Basch.

In the evening I sat very long at the bedside

252

IMPEISONMENT OP THE EMPEROE.

Emperor who was then rather low-spirited

and melancholy. He placed his hand in mine,
and made me the confidant of his sorrows in
I do not
reference to his person and family.
feel at liberty to publish what he confided to
of the

me, and wiU only say that he spoke with the

utmost love of the Empress, his consort, Archduchess Sophia, his mother, and his brother
Archduke Charles Lewis. He expressed himwith some bitterness about the family act
of renunciation which he had been induced to
self

sign

on

accepting

the

Imperial

crown

of

Mexico.

On June

5th, early in the morning, I re-

a visit from the infantry officer, my

confidant, who told me that he was afraid his

ceived

superior ofiicers had heard something about

If so, however, he was most to
their plan.

He and

blame.

showing

the

his

gold

comrades could not forbear

they

received

from

me,

poorer fellow- oflScers susmaking thus

General Escobar, who was
and
jealous.
picious
in the cell next mine, had warned me already
once to be cautious when giving money to
Liberal officers, as he had heard the chink of
their

coin in

my

cell.

I suppose that the officers, on seeing that

they were suspected, and to prevent worse con-

sequences, divulged the whole affair to their

253

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOR.

it

superiors, representing

only as a means to

get money, and to ascertain the intention of the

prisoners.

I heard also

Madame

General Miramon ac-

cused of having attracted suspicion by her talk,

though I do not know how much foundation

was

in

it.

However, I had not to wait long

the consequences.
When I returned to

Emperor
general

leaving the
alone with his physician, a Liberal

I believe

and, addressing

"You

for

his

me

cell,

name was Paz

in a brutal

have attempted to

Maximiliano.

my

entered,

manner, said

effect the

If you repeat

it

you

escape of
be shot

will

on the spot."
Since the Emperor had refused to avail himself of the means prepared by me for his escape,
anything, and least about
the consequences which the discovery might
I cared but

little for

have with respect to myself, and, annoyed by

the tone of the general, I replied in the sam^
" And if I had done as
key
you say, should I
have done more than my duty ? You, I sup:

pose,

would have done the same

feeling of

not the

if

you had a

honour and love for your chief. It is

time that I ventured my life for my

first

Emperor, and
save him."

"We

am

know

ready to venture

that,"

it

again to

answered the general.

254

IMPEISONMENT OP THE EMPEROK.

" and
Escobedo

man
you

lias

me

that you were

tlie

We

sible ;" and,

casting
left

told

to carry it out.
will, therefore, bring
to a place where this will be made
impos-

the

threatening looks at me, he

cell.

"You

can do nothing but

me," I

shoot

him; "but to-day our turntomorrow yours that's Mexican fashion."

called after

When

the general had delivered me of his

was ashamed that I had permitted
myself to be carried away by my vexation, and
I went to visit the Emperor, to take an invigo-

presence, I

rating example from the serene dignity with

which he bore

An
him.

officer

his cross.

soon came with the order to follow

He had

no objection to my taking leave

of the Emperor.
When I saw him I could not

utter one single word.

He

which I covered with

kisses.

me

gave

his hand,

as if I

I felt

might not look on his dear face again. At the

door I again looked round. Two silent tears
ran down the august martyr's cheeks.

was too much.

rushed to

my

My

heart

That
was breaking. I

room, and gave vent to

by loud sobs.
I soon recovered,

however,

my

and

grief

placed

myself at the disposal of the officer, indiflerent

to the place of execution. He
qonducted mc, however, downstairs to the cell

even

if

he led

me

255

IMPEISONMENT OF THE EMPEEOE.

of the otlier generals, whom, to my surprise, I

found all ready to start. Afraid of further

attempts at escape, Escobedo had given orders

that all the prisoners, with the exception of the

Emperor, Miramon, and Mejia, should be

moved from the convent.

re-

Surrounded by an extraordinary numerous

escort, under the command of Colonel Palacios,

we had

walk slowly through the streets,

under a burning sun, to the casino, the place

where

all

to

the field-officers were confined, whilst

the subaltern officers had remained in the con-

We

vent San Teresita.

a large

hall,

were conducted into

where the Emperor held a drawing-

room immediately

after his arrival.

guard

separated us from the rest of the prisoners.

The above-mentioned general came and favoured
^

us with a speech, in which he regretted that he

was compelled to use more strictness than
hitherto,

by events that had occurred within

on saying which he looked

the last few days

significantly at

To

his

me.

great

displeasure.

been obliged to make

us.

and
offi

ever,

Dr. Basch had

this forced

He

march with
mute fury,

paced the large hall in

down on a table to sleep it
After a nap of an hour, he was, how-

at last laid

awakened

Emperor.

and

brought

back

to

the

256

IMPRISONMENT OF THE EMPEROR.

The

stricter

measures announced

tlie

by

The guards were

general were soon manifest.
our
servants
not
;
permitted to enter ;

trebled

wine prohibited, and knives and forks taken

away from us. The general was probably afraid

we

should attack his valiant guard with our

and
so escape
forks,
I was much amused to see fourteen generals
and as many colonels eat their meat with
that

their

instead

fingers

of

knives;

but

these

gentlemen would not see the humour of the

thing, were angry with me, and requested
me to forego all schemes for escape, which
only served to

make

their position

more

dis-

agreeable.

General Escobar, who became at a later

period, with General Castillo, my best friend,
expressed himself in the most severe terms. I

became angry myself, and the consequence was

a pistol duel, to be fought the

first

day after our

release.

mention that Baron von Magnus,

accompanied by his chancellor, Mr. Edouard
Scholler, the two advocates, and the Belgian SecI forgot to

retary of Legation Hooricks, had arrived about

noon. I was very glad to see the baron a few

moments with

me many
his

the Emperor.

services,

company.

He had

rendered

and I had been much

I felt very

much

in

reassured by

IMPETSONMENT OF THE EMPEROR.

his being near the

me

miss

Emperor, who

257

now would

less.

The Emperor acknowledged my endeavours

to serve him in a very flattering manner, by
saying, in my presence, to Baron Magnus
" The
prince fought like a lion, and proved the
:

truest friend in misfortune."

mention

ifc

I ought not to
but
this
of my Emas
word
myself;

peror is my dearest and only reward for my

devotion to him, I will run the risk of being

thought vain.
On the 6th of June at last also arrived the
Austrian charge d'affaires, Baron von Lago,
with his secretary, Knight Schmidt de Tavera,

and the

Italian minister, Curtopassi.

save troops, and not for the sake of
humanity, the guard was removed to-day which
I, thereseparated us from the field-officers.

To

had the pleasure of again seeing my friends,

Count Pachta, and
Pitner,

fore,

Lieut.- Colonels

Major Malburg, and

also

Major von Goerbitz.

The last-named four gentlemen lived in the

same room, and we celebrated our meeting with
a bowl of brandy-punch, which

money from

soldiers'

we procured

wives, and

for

by a rubber

of whist.

On
staff

us

the 7th of June a colonel of Escobedo*s

made another speech

to
VOL.

forbear
I,

from

all

to

us,

intrigues

warning

to es(;ape,
17

258

IMPKISONMENT OF THE EMPEBOE.

and threatening us that we should be immeThese good people

diately shot on detection.
were always
reason

for

and not without good

the good- will of most of the inhaafraid of us,

bitants of Queretaro

was with

us.

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.
On June

came from San Lnis Potosi the

order that the Emperor and all generals were
8tli

to be placed before a court-martial, under the

law of January 2nd, 1862.

Such a courtmartial and death were synonymous.
The
court was

ordered to be

appointed by the

supreme government. The charges against the

accused were examined by the assessor of the

commanding general, and, if found correct, the

judgment was to be executed by order of that
There was no appeal against such a
general.
judgment nor was any grace allowed.
All the other officers were punished quite
All colonels were
arbitrarily, without a trial.

condemned

to six years' criminal imprisonment,

the Heut. -colonels to five years, the majors to

four, the captains and foreign lieutenants to two
years.

All Mexican lieutenants were set free,

but had to return home, where they were to

be placed under mihtary surveillance for one
year.

Besides

this,

General Escobedo was directed

260

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

to pick out from

all

grades those

officers

against

whom there were particular charges, and to bring

them

also before a court-martial.

According to this order,

have been condemned to

I,

as colonel, should

six years'

criminal

imprisonment, and would have to commence it

at once, as was ordered also. The idea of being
still more separated from the Emperor, under
the present circumstances, was intolerable to

me, and to prevent

The

commission.

was

fair

little

enough

I presented

my general's
Liberal colonel of the staff
it

to

draw

my

attention to the

circumstance that the law of January 2nd,

1862, meant death to every one captured in arms,

He
and that no grace was to be expected.
offered to keep silence about

my being

a general,

but I refused.

On

the 9th

of June the Austrian

d'affaires,

imprisoned Austrian

and Malburg.
as

charge

Baron von Lago, came to see the

officers,

With the baron came

in

Pitner,

honour

Pachta,

his secre-

of

his very
suppose
Mexican name of Schmidt, in Mexican cos-

tary,

tume.

Though Baron Lago knew me very

he had seen

me

frequently in the

well, as

house of Baron

Magnus, in Mexico, and the Emperor had informed him expressly of the relations between

him and

myself, the great diplomatist did not

261

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

convenient to take the slightest notice

of me, and his Sancho Panza, the Mexicanized
Chevalier Schmidtj imitated him.
Being much

think

it

amused at this, I ran right against the baron,

and thus compelled him to acknowledge my
presence by a hurried salute.

The captains had been

led outside the city

already at noon, and were waiting for the fieldThe latter assembled in the yard of
officers.

the casino, and those only remained who had

been picked out for the favour of a court-

These were the Colonels Monterdo,

E-eyes, Otlion, Redonet, Diaz, and Rodriguez;
the Lieut.-Colonels Pitner and Almanza; and
martial.

a number of majors and subaltern officers.

Amongst the former was Major von Goerbitz,

who owed

Dr. Licea,

this distinction to

whom

he insulted as he deserved when that worthy

betrayed Miramon.
Among those reserved
were, besides

the

for

Miramon, and

Emperor,

Mejia, the following generals

court-martial

Castillo, Casa-

nova, Herera y Lozado, Ramirez, Moret, Valdez, Escobar, Liceago, Calvo, Salm-Salm, and
Magana. The latter was a man past eighty,

who had not fought

whom

for

twenty years, and

none of us knew.

Of the civil

officers

reserved for court-martial

were the Minister Garcia Aguirre, the Prefect

2G2

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

BomiTiiquez, the Commissary Tomas Prieto, and

the Secretary of the Emperor, Luis Blasio.

The Fiscal of the Eepublican Government

was Lieut.-Colonel Aspirez, a good-looking
young man of twenty-eight,

whom

Juarez had

picked out expressly for this purpose.

The As-

was Escoto, a young fellow

a very bad and ferocious
features, but was an entirely
the hands of Escobedo.

sessor of Escobedo

of twenty,

who had

expression in his
submissive tool in

Fifty field-officers,

who

stood in the yard of

the casino, were to be transported to Morelia

amongst them were Pradillo and Ormachea. It

was very hard to me to part from these my
faithful
companions in arms, and the more
so as all of us had a very dark future before us.
The manner in which the Republican Government treated these field-officers was revolting,
but was characteristic of the spirit of this governThese

ment.

many

officers

(amongst whom were

who were disabled

old men, and others

or weakened by their wounds) had to march on

foot, in the heat of a Mexican summer, and

each with his bundle on his back, for sixteen

days to Morelia, escorted by a detachment of
cavalry.

As

these officers had been always on horseback, they were not used to a march on foot in

the heat of the sun, and on sandy roads, and

TRIAL OP MAXIMILIAN.

263

the consequence was that many of them suffered

from sore feet and other marching complaints.
After the second day they therefore declared
that they could not walk any longer, but preferred to be shot.

The

men with

great kindness.
They offered
not only all kinds of victuals and refresh-

tunate

them

citizens of Celaya received these unfor-

ments, but even mules, and requested permission

to sell them on their arrival, and to buy with

money some commodities for themselves.

Similar to this was their reception in other places.

the

Fifty of the captains

were sent to Guanajato,

San Luis

fifty to Zacatecas, and seventy- two to

were also the foreign

lieutenants. All these prisoners were not treated
Potosi.

Amongst the

latter

as prisoners of war, but to the disgrace of Es-

who broke

cobedo,
level

his

word, were placed on a

with robbers and thieves.

On the
ful

9th of June, in the evening, my faithshadow. Lieutenant Montecon, came to say

The brave boy wept like a child.

me that he would find means to enter

farewell to me.

He

told

Mexico, and fight again against the Liberals.

Since that time I have never heard of him.

On

the 10th of June the Princess succeeded

in procuring permission for

me

to see the

Em-

Accompanied by Major Longoria, of

Escobedo's staff, I went with her through the

peror.

264

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

The Emperor was

but had preserved

his serene, manly composure, though he owed
it to himself and to others to do all that was
city.

possible

to

sick,

save his Hfe.

We

examined

all

it, but none remained but escape,

and we by no means despaired of success,
though all precautions had been taken to render it more difficult. Two field officers, armed

chances for

with revolvers, continually guarded the door of

the Emperor during night that is, one of them
;

slept in the before-mentioned niche, the other

walked up and down the passage.

If an escape could be effected, we were to go
next to the Sierra Gorda, from thence to the Rio
Grande, and thence to Yera Cruz.

In that city
the Emperor expected to find more than a million of dollars in the treasury, and as the Mexicans had no

we

could procure
provisions from Havana, and troops from the
State of Yucatan, which was in favour of the

Emperor.

fleet to

prevent

it,

Thus we might be enabled to hold

out for at least a year, whilst Miramon and

Mejia were busy in the country. A year is a
very long time in Mexico, and the cause of the

Emperor might again take a favourable turn.

For the execution of our projects, it was
desirable that I should be again quartered near

the Emperor.
this,

He requested Escobedo to permit

but was refused

however,

it

w'as allowed

265

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

that I should visit liim, accompanied by an officer

of the staff.

In the morning of the 11th of June, we were

again transferred to the convent San Teresita,
which offered more facihties for guarding us
than the casino, and which had become empty by
Here
the departure of the subaltern officers.

we were guarded by

the battalion of Supremos

the lifeguard of President Juarez ;

Poderes,

therefore, as I suppose,

an

elite

corps.

Still

they were a most miserable corps, and the most

This was less
blackguardly, despicable rabble.
the fault of the soldiers than that of their com-

manders.

The

field-officers

paraded in splendid

sparkling uniforms, with kid gloves of the most

delicate shades, and bedizened with heavy gold
chains, whilst the subaltern officers

the prisoners,
shilling

The

and were happy to

accept a

importuned us always, begging

and even the sentinels, who held

soldiers

for a clacko
in one

begged from

hand

musket, stretched out the

When we dined they surrounded

their

other for alms.

like hungry dogs, and I have actually

seen one of them quarrel with a dog for a
small piece of bread thrown to the latter.

our table

As

there were several of

my

old Cazadores

amongst the Supremos Poderes, I heard from

them many particulars.
They received only

266

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

twice a week pay for half a day, and their meals

consisted of very thin coffee, with a good deal

of sugar in the morning

little

for

sugar costs very

for dinner, beans with tortillas,

and for

supper the same. Of meat they got only an

ounce or two now and then.

As

the officers were afraid that the soldiers

might run away, they were always locked up,

and those who complained about it, or about
the curtailment of their pay by their superiors,
were flogged, and received up to three hundred

For such a

lashes.

the

purpose,

battalion

formed a hollow square, and the delinquent was

laid down in the middle.
The corporals, one
after

the

other,

applied

the

music played, or drums and

noise to

On
see the

drown the

beating,

fifes

made

whilst

a great

cries.

the 12th of June, I had permission to

Baron Magnus had gone

Emperor.

to

San Luis Potosi, to try his best again with

Juarez, for orders had been sent by him to
proceed with the court-martial against the Emperor, and the Generals Miramon and Mejia.
It

was

to

commence

Iturbide Theatre

more proper
was selected,

next

morning

in

the

though there were plenty of

Querctaro, the theatre

I suppose, either to mortify the

places in

prisoners, if not to indicate that the whole law

proceeding was only a cruel

farce.

267

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

Desperate as the position of the Emperor

was, he never lost his serene dignity. When I
" Now
came, he gave me his hand and said,
He had
Salm, everything will be over soon."

book which he had been reading.

the title, and saw that it was the

just laid aside a

I looked at
'*

History of

When

I told

reading

fit

King Charles I.
Miramon of it, he

the

He

Great."

scientific

said,

Before

for the situation."

Emperor had read the

of England."

" It was
this,

the

'*

History of Frederick
always read historical or

books, and had an aversion to novels.

a long time
with the Emperor, and spoke with him about
a great variety of differ ent things.

Upon

As
with

the

this occasion, I stayed

Emperor knew that

several

officers

was acquainted
staff, and

of Escobedo's

even certain negociations were going on between

some of them and myself, of which I shall

speak immediately, he gave me some instructions which could only be fulfilled by their
help.

He made

three requests, which I had to

down in my note-book
marksmen might be selected for

write

1.

That good

his execution

That these should aim at his breast; and 3.

That he should be shot at one and the same
moment with his two generals, Miramon and
2.

Mejia.

Besides

this,

the

Emperor

dictated to

me

268

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

the following distribution of decorations. Baron

Magnus, the commander's cross of the order of
the Eagle ; his chancellor, Mr. SchoUer, the
cross of the Guadelup order ; Dr. Basch, the
officer's cross

of the same

Captain Pawlowski,

and Lieutenant Koehlich, of the hussars, the

cross of the Guadelup order, and General Prince
Salm-Salm, the commander's cross of the order
of the Eagle. At the same time, he told me
that he intended to decorate the Italian minis-

he did not know yet which

order he would give him, and said he would tell

ter Curtopassi, but

me on

when he expected to see me

The Emperor told me also that he had

the 14th,

again.

written to his mother, the Archduchess Sophia,

and that I, on my going to Europe, should

take that letter with me, and deliver

I

son.
letter,

not

but so

been

it

know what has become

much do I know, that

do not

received

by

the

in per-

of this
it

had

archduchess

so

recently as February, 1868.

Though the Emperor was fully prepared to
die, this did not exclude his hope that he might

escape, which
the princess,

was to be arranged

who intended

to

chiefly by
endeavour to

bribe two Liberal colonels with 100,000 pesos

each, for which the

on

Emperor would

sign drafts

his family.

The Emperor spoke

a great deal about his

269

TRIAL OP MAXIMILIAN.

plans for the future, if there sliould be a future

Next he would sail in his yacht to
for him.
Cadiz,

and

lowers, of

settle there

whom

he

some of

named

his faithful fol-

especially,

Miramon,

Mejia, Castillo, and the Minister Aguirre

he would

visit

then

Lacroma, and meet somewhere

the Empress and his mother; the winter he

would either pass in ISTaples, or in the east, or
in Brazil.

He

was

to

accompany him everywhere.

forward with delight to the moment when he might breathe the air of freedom
looked

again on board his ship, and awakened similar

" Your
Majesty," I called out,
longing in me.
" I
request, in advance, your pardon, if I should
get a little tipsy on that blessed day," which
the Emperor promised laughingly.

The Emperor requested me

frequently, and
night, to write the

repeated it on that same

history of his short reign, that the world might
become acquainted with the truth, and "justice

be done to his memory."

power

was

to do all in

my

to get possession of the required docu-

ments, and,
in my hand.

if

necessary, even with the revolver

He

expressed this desire, even in

a codicil to his last will, as Dr. Basch knows,

who

signed the codicil as a witness.

I said good-night to the Emperor,
I did not think that I had seen his noble,

When

revered face for the last time

270

TEIAL OP MAXIMILIAN.

On

returning to San Teresita I found the

princess, and we had to converse much about

Nothing had been decided yet, and

she was greatly excited.
She left me, however,
our plans.

of confidence in the assistance of heaven

full

good a cause, and in her own courage.

The 13th of June was the day appointed

in so

the commencement of the court-martial.

The president was a lieutenant- colonel, Plato
Sanchez, and the judges were very young
captains, of whom some could not even read
or write.
This Sanchez was killed later by his
own men.
At six o'clock a.m., fifty men of the Cazadores de Galeano, and fifty of the Guardia de

for

Supremos Poderes, were already placed before

the Capuchin convent, the court was to be
opened at eight o'clock. As the Emperor was
sick, and not willing to appear before such a

mock

Miramon and Mejia

a closed carriage, and

court, the Generals

were placed alone in

surrounded by a numerous
to the Iturbide Theatre,

escort.

where

They drove

this judicial farce

was to be enacted.
The theatre was decked out with colours
and republican emblems, and brightly lighted up
any other representation. All officers
present in Querctaro had received orders to

as

at

appear,

and tickets had been

given

out to

271

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.
citizens.

The

of

ladies

Queretaro

did

not

opportunity, and only

the wives of Liberal officers did so. The judges

avail themselves of this

in full uniform,

and their heads covered, and

the other actors in the piece, sat on the stage.

The trial has been already told, not only in
the papers, but also in books upon that subject,
so that I need not enter into any details, and
so as according to my opinion, the

the less

It
lawyers might have saved their learning.
was utterly thrown away before siich a court-

martial,

and

all

they said could not have the

the judges.
I will not

slightest influence on

even speak of their low state of education,

which made them unable to understand the
fine definitions

and arguments in the excellent

speeches for the defence^ but merely state that

these speeches could not get rid of the fact,
that the Emperor had been captured with arms
in his hands, and, therefore, as according to the

law of January 25th, 1862, which had to be

applied, every one was to be punished by death
who was so captured, the judges could not pro-

nounce any other sentence but guilty.

A similar sentence would have to be pronounced against all officers and privates cap-

government had
judged it convenient to place them before a
That the government made
court-martial.
tured in Queretaro,

if

the

272

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

exceptions, proves that

make them

and that

exception in the

mended

itself

it

it

was

in its

did not

Emperor's

case,

power

to

make such an
which recom-

more to mercy than any other by

a concurrence of circumstances, was a proof

that the government, when ordering a court-

upon the Emperor, had

solved on his death.

martial

positively re-

Long-lasting civil wars demoralize every

not
people, even the best, and they are
calculated, indeed, to improve the moral feelings of a people like the Mexicans, who have
been always considered one of the most

miserable upon the face of the earth.

It

is,

therefore, not to be wondered

at, but, on the

contrary, is very natural, that the most sacred
promises should have but little or no value what-

ever with them, even

monarchs of Europe.

guaranteed by all the

The Emperor had still a
if

very strong party in the country, and had, since

the departure of the French, shown an energy,

which made

it a question of life and death for

the Juarez government not to keep promises

under which he might be released. Death made

an end of all these fears, and the security
attained by

it

for the Juarez

government out-

far the fear of a possible

revenge
weighed by
from the European kings. They knew, moreover,
with tolerable certainty, that this danger was

273

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

not very great, and that no power would declare

war against Mexico, merely to revenge the death
of Maximilian, especially with the warning of
the mighty Emperor of France before their eyes,
who had earned nothing but disgrace from such

a war.

There were,

also, a great many people in the

who
demanded
revenge on the Emperor,
army

and whose votes the President, whose term of

oflSce had been long since at an end, required for
his re-election.

third motive,

which also

urged the government to decide on death was,

as I was told by persons nearly related to the
government, not to suffer the rare opportunity
of revenging the Republican principle on that
of the Monarchy which the capture of a crowned

head had given them.

Recapitulating the reasons of Juarez for
desiring the death of the Emperor, we find them
to be

Fear of a resumption of the struggle, in

spite of all promises,

and the desire to

satisfy

the thirst for revenge of the army and the ultraRepublicans. Whether a vindictive disposition

and cruelty should be placed amongst the reasons

cannot be ascertained ; but one might be justified in presuming such motives, considering the

murder of San Jacinto and other

ties

similar cruel-

ordered by Juarez.
I do not intend to give an account of the

VOL.

I.

18

274
trial

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

of

tlie

one who

Emperor Maximilian

but refer every

interested in this singular mockery

of a law proceeding to the excellent
pamphlet
is

published by the two eminent Mexican lawyers

who defended him.* They saw at once that,

from a

legal point of view, they

were utterly

powerless against the explicit law of January

2oth, 1862, which orders the punishment of

death against every foreigner or Mexican

captured in arms against the
Republic, or who
should assist

enemies in any manner.

In their pamphlet, the advisers of the
its

peror, therefore,

say

"To

Em-

have a chance of

it was
necessary to base the defence
considerations of convenience, of peace,
and the future advancement of our country.

success,

on

was necessary to break the power of unfavourable fate by dividing it

to make an

It

energetic

defence

before

the

court-martial,

and, on the other hand, to point out to the

government the difficulties into which our

country might come, by placing before their

eyes the dangers of severity, and the incalculable

advantages

of

moderation in

the

* I Baw
only the German translation by Conrad Pascher,
Consul of Mecklenburg, in Mexico.
The title of it is
"
Denkschrifb uber den Process des Erzherzogs Ferdinand
Maximilian von Oostreich von Mariano Kiva Palacino and
Licet Rafael Martinez de la Torre." Hamburg. Otto Meissner,
1868.

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

275

exertion of their respective powers of

punishing

and pardoning."
This was the only practical way to prove
to the government that it was more profitable
to spare the life of the Emperor than to take it.

But

it

was

difficult,

or rather impossible, of

which the counsel for the defence soon became

aware

for the advantages

were uncertain and

distant, whilst the gratification of the

of the people deadened

brought with

it

most

more urgent

intelligible

vengeance
fears, and

advantages in

regard to the re-election of Juarez.

Whilst the defence thus tried to put

actions of the

Emperor

all

into their best light, the

counsel for the Republic endeavoured, of course,

to prove, not only that he failed against the

above-mentioned law, but tried, also, to give all

the actions of Maximilian the darkest colouring,
to justify the government of Juarez
the less blood-thirsty Republicans at

in order

before

home and

abroad.

A single narration of the circumstances under

which Maximilian accepted the crown was his
best defence.

After having refused it several

he
times,
accepted at last when he had been
convinced that it was the wish of the Mexican
people,
fied

and

after his conscience

had been

by the approbation of learned

lawyers,

whom

satis-

English
he might suppose to be impartial.

276

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

He

believed in the honesty and truth of the

election ; for people in Germany are not very

experienced in election stratagems, and he had

not even an idea that similar artifices had been

employed

in

Napoleon

IIT.

Mexico

as

Emperor

of France.

those

which made

In this belief that he was the elect of the

be confirmed by his
brilliant and enthusiastic reception in Mexico,
his new country, the happiness of which he

he

people,

really

could

only

wished to promote with

all his

heart.

The notion of treating him as a filibuster,

which was only brought forward to prove him
punishable with death, under another title, is
not worth speaking of. The same may be said

with regard to his having been a tool of the

This was not so much the case as is
French.
supposed, for he cancelled the treaty which had
been made by one of his ministers with the

French ministry, relating to the cession of the

State, Sonora, and removed the minister from
I will

his place.

accusation which

which he
people.

is

only

tells

dwell upon that

most against him, and

one
for

much blamed, even by well-meaning

mean the law of October 3rd, 1865,

which was issued by advice of Marshal Bazaine

in opposition to that of Juarez of

1862, and which

The

iL

January 25th,

even surpassed in cruelty.

was made by Marshal

draft of this law

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

277

Bazaine himself, as I was told by the Emperor.

was represented

him as absolutely necessary to restore order, and especially against the

numerous bands of brigands, who, under pretext
It

to

of serving the Liberal government, devastated

the villages, plundered the country, and made
the highways dangerous.
It could not be meant
against a Liberal army, as such an army was

then a

fiction,

ment.

Juarez had fled

close

was even a Liberal governto Paso del Norte,

to the frontier of the United States, and it
as

was even said, and believed, in Mexico, that he

had left the territory of that empire. The draft
was not severe enough for Marshal Bazaine,
and he made some additions with his own hand.
The Emperor signed this law under the
should be applied only against
marauders and brigands, and even then only
condition that

under

it

his confirmation for each case.

Nay, he

even gave orders that, on the arrival of such a

notice, upon which depended life or death, he
should be awakened, even in the middle of the
night, or disturbed in whatever important occu-

The fact is, that

pation he might be engaged.
under the Emperor's confirmation, only a few
robbers were executed, w^ho had been already

and that the law

pardoned several times
which is about the same as that of Juarez
;

of January 25th, 1862

was

discussed in the

278

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

council of his Cabinet, and signed by

all tlie

ministers.

How

Marsbal Bazaine carried out the intentions of tbe Emperor is another question, and
very probable that he

it is

which suited his purpose

made use
and

of the law,

whenever

taste,

he pleased, and without asking the Emperor.

It would, however, be unjust to make the latter
responsible for the transgressions of Bazaine
or the French, for he had no means whatever

of punishing them.
Bazaine, differing in his
opinion from that of the Emperor on some
point,

wrote him an impertinent

letter,

and

it required the most earnest exertions of the

Emperor, through the mediation of the French

minister, to induce the marshal to apologize.

The complaints transmitted to Paris were in

vain

the French

Emperor would not

listen to

impossible to believe that he

could not influence the marshal. The French

them;

for

it

is

insulted the Mexicans of their

own

party,

and

treated those of the opposite party with revolting cruelty. They stole everything they could
lay their hands on ; and, of the
nineteen millions found their

two

loans, only

way

into

the

treasury of the State, while the war, according

to the calculation of the French, cost above
sixty millions.

The Emperor Maximilian had

to bear the

279

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

whole odium of

Emperor

this Frencli misrule

of France

had no

but

tlie

scruples in breaking

the treaties which had been made, as he

was

who took

the

with

dissatisfied

Maximilian,

philanthropic

alleged

plans of

Napoleon

as

out in
seriously meant, and tried to carry them
Mexicans.
of
the
for
benefit
the
perfect faith

Napoleon was furious on finding that Maximilian would not support him in his robbery,
by preventing the cession of Sonora, which the

French thought already theirs; in a word,

that he did not enter into his views in reference
to Mexico, which he considered only as an easy
prey, as a

means

to recruit the

French finances,

and which he intended to leave to

its fate after

he had gorged himself suflB.ciently with gold. If

not, why did he not support the Confederate
States

the

The sword of France thrown

balance

very much;

into

might have altered the result

and that Napoleon III. did not

see the necessity of assisting the Confederate

States for a lasting success in Mexico, nobody
will believe,

What

not even

if

he said so himself.

did he care what became of the

Em-

For a Napoleon, countries,

nations, and people are only like men on a chessboard and whatever is respected in life, is to
peror Maximilian

him only a cipher in a calculation. In the high

pohcy which a Napoleon considers to be his

280

TEIAL OP MAXIMILIAN.

own

province,

Ms own

person

is his

chief pur-

pose and end; and next to him, France, because

he needs her as his handmaid.

The
for his

fortunate adventurer, Napoleon, had,

own

purposes, however, placed a poor

Austrian archduke
for a proper field

whose

rich

of action on

he might make his fortune, and

mind longed
a road where
satisfy his phi-

lanthropic fancies to his heart's content, with a

people who offered a wider field for improve-

ment than any

Should the plan not

succeed, Napoleon supposed he might always
and as to
get out at least without damage
other.

what became of an archduke with liberal ideas,

that was very indifferent to him.
"When the plan, in consequence of the
energetic notes of the United States, took an
unexpected turn, the French imagined they had

done enough to offer him the voyage home

under their protection; and they were quite
furious that he crossed this arrangement

by

his

resolution to remain in Mexico, only because he

did not think

to

steal

Honour

it

reconcileable with his honour

away from his place like a thief.

Of course that is a childish idea, to

be dismissed with a shrug of the shoulders.

By this refusal of Maximilian to commit a
disreputable action, Napoleon considered himself released from all his obligations and trea-

281

TRIAL OP MAXIMILIAN.

Emperor of Mexico was

Tlie

ties.

not so much, for his

own

sacrificed,

as for tlie

faults

committed by the French under the

authority of their Emperor, and by which they
stirred up to its utmost the hatred of the wild

atrocities

and bloodthirsty Mexicans. It is true Juarez

was the axe that killed Maximilian, but the
moral guilt

falls

upon Napoleon.

On

the 13tli of June, early in the morning,

the princess came to see me about the escape

was to take place next

Emperor had written the two

of the Emperor, which

The

night.

hundred thousand pesos each;

Baron von Lago had also signed them at his
drafts for one

request,

and taken them with him

to

have them

signed by the other ministers. The princess

waited, of course, impatiently for them, as she

had

to arrange the affair with the

two colonels

The signatures of the ministers were demanded by the two colonels as an

additional security.
One of the colonels was
in the afternoon.

especially

into

only

careful,

and said

that he

entered

business solely out of love for his

child, for whom he wished secure a

this

fortune.

The Emperor had given to my wife his

signet ring, and it was agreed that it should be
returned to him by that person whom he might
follow in confidence.

282

TETAL OF MAXIMILIAN.
I wrote

now

a long letter to tlie Emperor,

in which I explained the plan of his escape,

and gave it to the princess, as she probably

would not have time and opportunity for a
This letter was given by
longer conversatiou.
the Emperor to Baron Lago, as he said, to
" to his
prove, after his death,
family and others
what had been the relations between us, and

what

had risked

for

him."

It

was obviously

the intention of the Emperor, in doing so, to

prepare for me a friendly reception in Vienna

and Brussels, on

my

return to Europe; but

that letter has never been produced by Baron

Lago, and the Belgian charge d'affaires, M.

saw him

me

only a few weeks ago, when

in Munich, that Baron Lago had de-

Hooricks, told
I

stroyed that letter on the next day, being afraid

that it might cost me my life ; as if the pockets
of the ministers were likely to be examined
!

But Baron Lago

is a very careful man,

espeare endangered, of which he gave
another proof on the same day.

cially if lives

The Emperor
representative
signed by the

entered the

sent Dr. Basch to the worthy

of j^ustria for the two drafts
ministers.

room and

von Lago, charge

Wlien the doctor

Baron
Imperial and

told his errand.

d'affaires of his

Royal Majesty of Austria, etc., in Mexico, ran

distractedly about his room, tearing his hair

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

283

"We

cannot sign

and crying out

tliem

If

we

piteous! j,

do,

we

sliall all

Tlie other ministers

were

be hanged

!"

less excited.

They

requested the doctor to represent to the Emperor that the two colonels, if really willing to
save him, would certainly be satisfied with his
signature alone.

Baron Lago, who had already signed in presence of the Emperor, cut off his signature, and
the doctor returned to his master with the mutilated bills and the answers
describing,

Lago, and

of

course, the

of the ministers,
despair

"What would

it

matter," said the Emperor

"

if he were hanged!
Maximihan,
would not lose much in him."

On

of Baron

his fear of being hanged.

the 14th of June I waited

all

The world
the morn-

ing, with great anxiety, for news of the Princess,

and

this anxiety increased

when noon

arrived

my having heard anything of her. At

an Indian woman brought me an open note
from
me " that she must set off im-

without
last

her, telling

mediately for San Luis Potosi ; that she was

much grieved at not being able to see me, but
that she was

not at liberty to give

me

any

explanation."

brain about the meaning

of this mysterious note, I received a visit which
gave me the key to the riddle. It was an oJ0S.cer
Still

cudgeling

my

284

TRIAL OP MAXIMILIAN.

on duty wlio requested me to follow liim. He

led me past the guard, and on liis beckoning, we
were followed by a corporal and three men. I
was led into a small cliapel situated in the same

and the

story,

to separate

You have

officer

" I have

said,

you from the

rest of the prisoners.

already once laid plans for the escape

of Maximiliano, and will recollect

to

orders

you then.

You have now

what was said

tried again, al-

though in vain, to bribe officers and soldiers, and

On
will have to suffer the consequences."
leaving, he instructed the sentinel at

my

door

"

nobody should be permitted to speak

or to communicate with the prisoner he must
neither write nor receive letters, and the cabothat

quarto (corporal of the guard) will bring him

his meals."

The reason of the journey of my wife was

The plan for escape had
pretty clear now.
again failed, but I was not to be informed why
on that day ? The chapel in which I was placed
adjoined a hall, in which were other of our prisoners.
Of the folding doors separating the
two rooms formerly, the opening only existed,

and near

it

door was the

Opposite the
right, in a corner,

stood the sentinel.

altar,

and to

on the stone floor, was

its

my bed,

that

is,

a blanket.

In the wall, to the right of the entrance, was a

window opening, not grated, looking on a small

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

285

was surrounded by a wall fifteen feet

high, which communicated by means of a door,
with an open passage running around the larger
yard, which

convent
mostly

yard.

Near that door, which was

was another sentinel at the top of a

The chapel was ornamented with

ajar,

staircase.

horrible frescoes representing

some most bloody

scenes of martyrdom.
On the morning of the

15th of June I

received a visit from one of the two colonels

whom

I was best acquainted.

My first
was
it
fared
how
with
the
question
Emperor.
He said, " He is lost beyond all hope." About
the miscarriage in the escape I heard from
him the following account

with

"Neither he nor

his

friend

would accept

the drafts signed only by the Emperor, as the

refusal of the ministers to sign them proved

payment was very doubtful.

Both the colonels had families, and if they succlearly that their

ceeded in saving the Emperor they would have

to fly from their country, and to live abroad.

Under these circumstances they must have an

unquestionable security for their being able to

comfortably with their families in foreign

parts, before engaging in such a dangerous
live

undertaking."
The other colonel,

who had only been tempted

the
of
by
hope
securing a fortune for his child,

286

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

recovered
doubtful

Ms

bill,

republican virtue in face of a

and tbougli

lie

had given

bis

word

of bonour not to divulge tbe project to any one,

be informed Escobedo, altbougb witbout betraying bis comrade.

may perbaps appear strange tbat Escobedo did not treat me more severely after tbe
It

discovery of tbe first endeavour to escape, and

tbat be did not even fulfil bis sinister promises

wben my attempt

to save tbe

Emperor was

re-

peated, wbicb would certainly bave been done in

more

civilized countries.

But

in tliese civil

wars

frequently happened tbat generals became

prisoners of otber generals, wbo soon perbaps

it

became again

Attempts to
escape occurred very frequently, and were considered as very excusable and natural, and were
tbeir

prisoners.

not punished with too much severity, in order

not to create a precedent which might perhaps
Escobedo himself bad
tell against themselves.
once been a prisoner of Mejia, and condemned
to be shot by a court-martial ; but Mejia bad

not only assisted him in bis escape, but even

furnished him with money for it. Wliat Esco-

bedo expected bis own friends to do

for him,

be

could not punish too severely in friends of tbe

Emperor, and be was satisfied with making such

attempts impossible.
When Dr. Busch came yesterday morning

287

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAI^.

from the princess, wliom he had seen on the

part of the Emperor, he was arrested as he was

Soon afterwards an officer

leaving his house.
entered the room of the princess, who had no
suspicion yet, and pohtely requested her to follow him to General Escobedo. The Liberal
chief said to her, in a sarcastic tone,

the air of Queretaro

is

prevailing here.

is

''

Madam,

very unhealthy typhus

is here also a very
;

There

dangerous atmosphere, and if I were as free to

go as you are, and not prevented by my duty, I

would go away. For you it will be better by aU

means, and I desire much that you leave within

two hours."
The princess answered, " I understand you
perfectly, general, and see that you know all.
If

it is

a crime that I tried to save

and the benefactor of

my

my Emperor

husband, you

may

punish me."

The general

left

the

room without saying a

word, and the princess returned home.

short time afterwards an officer, with his

cap on his head and armed with his sword,

entered without knocking, and said, " Madam,

you must

The carriage
make yourself ready." It was
so, and near the carriage was a cavalry escort
my wife was a prisoner. She requested the officer

is at

travel in ten minutes.

the door

to permit her to see

me

only for a moment, as

288

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

might be perhaps

for the last time in

life, but
"
the officer replied,
That this was the verything he was not permitted to do." At last, on

it

the intercession of the colonel,

and who told

me

all this

as

who was

present,

an eye-witness, the

permitted her to send me the little note

which I received by the Indian woman.
The " ten minutes " had passed long ago,
when the princess stepped with her chamberofficer

maid into the

officer in

carriage, but

command

when she heard

give the order,

"To

the

head-

jumped out again, and declared

positively that she would not see Escobedo.
The officer insisted on carrying out his order,
quarters !" she

but

my
"

wife insisted on her refusal.

Madam,

am on

duty ; I must bring you

to headquarters."
*'
Bring me to prison, or wherever
but I do not go to General Escobedo."

"Madam

you

like,

!" replied the embarrassed officer,

repeat I am on duty. You will force me

to take measures of compulsion to bring you

"I

there."

"In no

me

to

other

Escobedo

way

will

you be able to take

I"

As the scene approached a

which could not

fail

catastrophe,
to arise in consequence of

the conflict between feminine perseverance and

amused colonel again
militar}-- duty, the highly

289

TEIAL OP MAXIMILIAN.

and requested tlie officer to wait

he had spoken to the general, whom he

interceded,
until

accordingly went to see.

The general laughed, and

said that he

would

rather stand opposite a whole Imperial battalion

than meet the angry Princess Salm, and ordered

her to be brought at once to the place arranged.

Accompanied by an escort of cavalry, she

drove to Santa Rosa, a village at the foot of the

Sierra Gorda, where she was set at liberty, but

warned not

to return to Queretaro,

under the

threat of being imprisoned. In this village she

wrote a letter, which the colonel transmitted
to me, and

went to San Luis Potosi, where she

alighted in the house of Consul Bahnsen,

received her with great kindness.

who

At the same time as the princess was removed from Queretaro, the foreign ministers
received also orders to leave within two hours.

They were the Austrian, Belgian, and Itahan

charge d'affaires; the French minister, Mr.
Dana, who had, like Bazaine, married a Liberal
lady, had not come himself, and Baron Magnus

had not yet returned from San Luis.

The Austrian charge d'affaires was so much
afraid that

he set off in the greatest hurry,

taking with him the unsigned codicil to the

last wiU of the Emperor.
As the deed was,

however,
TOL.

I.

signed

by three witnesses. Baron

la

290

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

Lago, Mr. Hooricks, and Dr. Bascli, the

peror declared tliat it must be valid.

Em-

As the diplomatists had their permission to

confer with the Emperor from a higher authority,

the minister,

Don

Sebastian Lerdo de

Tejada, they might have refused the order of

Escobedo to quit, and thus have deprived this

peremptory order of its humiliating character,

which was somewhat mortifying to the great

powers

whom they represented.

Baron Magnus, who was not so fearful, returned from San Luis and went to see the

Emperor

as usual without being prevented

by

Had

the baron been in Queretaro,

the whole thing would not have happened, for
although he, as the Prussian minister, was not

Escobedo.

under the same obligations as the representatives of Austria and Belgium, he would have
signed the bills, and if not honoured in Vienna,
Prussia would have paid the trifle and saved the

brother of the Emperor of Austria.

On the 16th of June I was strictly guarded
in my chapel ; but fellow prisoners who entered
the

little

now and then, succeeded in

me some snatches of news. In

yard

whispering to

manner I heard that the Emperor had been

condemned to be shot. Three of the judges
were for banishment, three for death, but the

this

vote of the president decided.

291

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

About ten

o'clock a.m., the colonel, who, in

consequence of

came and

liis

me

told

position,

had

free access,

that the verdict had been

already confirmed by Escobedo, and that the

Emperor, Miramon, and Mejia, would be shot

between two and three

o'clock.

Ihad procured pen andinkfrom the caboquarto

and entreated the Emperor to let me accompany

him on his last walk, which request would not be

The

denied by Escobedo.
carry

my

letter to the

colonel undertook to

Emperor.

But he

re-

turned at one o'clock and brought me the following message from my unfortunate sovereign, "He
sent

me

his last

embrace and thanked

I had done for him.

me

He knew my

and much as he should

like to

for all

devotion,

have

me

with

him, he was afraid that I might be carried away

by my passion, and commit myself in a manner

which might cost me my life. He had made up

his account with the world, and it would affect

him too much

to take leave of a person

who was

so dear to him."

I asked the colonel whether there

was no

but he answered, " None whatever ;

;
hope
at three o'clock everything will be over."
The
left

colonel was very sad, for he would have saved

the Emperor if it had depended on him alone.
"
Oh, I wish I had never become acquainted

with Maximihano

!"

he said

" I was his bitter

292

TRIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

enemy, but

lie

won me

lias

serene, sublime demeanour,

When
ing,

altogether by

and

liis

his amiability.

saw him just now, my heart was breakam not ashamed to say that I went

and I

and wept."

aside

After the colonel had

me, I gave way to

my grief I threw myself down on my couch and
hid

my

left

face before the intolerably stupid gaze of

Presently I was startled by the

sound of drums and military music. I jumped

the sentinel.

up with a beating heart to the window. Though

the high wall barred the view, I could distinctly
hear the command of the officers placing their
troops in the Alameda, which was only about
three hundred paces distant ; and as Mendez had
been shot there, I imagined that the Emperor

would be shot here

It

was past two

also.

o'clock. I listened in breath-

less agony, for as I

mand,
shots.

music,

I could not

heard every word of comto hear also the fatal

fail

But instead of them

and

at

three o'clock

heard merry

everything was

silent.

My

excitement was

now

indescribable,

and

can only be understood by one who has been in

a similar situation. Hopes of the wildest cha-

and the most hopeless despair chased each

other in my soul it was a horrible agony which

racter

I could not feel even

if

was myself to be

led to

TEIAL OF MAXIMILIAN.

293

This silence became most oppressive

from minute to minute, and thus passed two
death.

horrible hours.

At

last,

at about five o'clock, the colonel

"
chapel and said,
By order of
the President, the execution has been postponed

rushed into

my

until the 19th inst. !"

I could not forbear to

embrace the friendly enemy and asked, " Do you

think him saved ?"
"I will not awaken false
hopes in you, but according to my opinion he is
I heard from the colonel what had
saved."

The day before nfews had already

Empress had died. Miramon
and Mejia were in doubt whether this news

occurred.

arrived that the

should be communicated to the Emperor, but

at last Mejia decided that it would be better,

and he undertook to impart this sad news to his

It was well he did, for though
sovereign.
impression was very painful, this news
The thought of his
easier to him.
death
made

the

first

Empress tormented him more than anything

He

else.

and

said,

binds

me

soon recovered from the first emotion,

" One
to Dr. Basch,
string less that
to life."

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROR.

In the morning of the 16th of June, at eleven
o'clock, Colonel Miguel Palacios came, accompanied by General Refugio Gonzales, with a
detachment of soldiers, and the latter read the

death warrant to the Emperor and the two

The Emperor heard it with a calm
generals.

and looking at his watch, he said to Dr.

" Three
o'clock is the hour ; we have
Basch,

smile,

still

more than three hours, and can

easily finish

all."

The fatal hour came, and the three condemned waited in the passage for the officer
charged with their execution. They waited a
whole hour, and the Emperor conversed as usual
with his confessor and two of his counsellors. At
came, at four o'clock. Colonel Palacios with
a telegram from San Luis Potosi, ordering the

last

postponement of the execution until June 19th.

This news produced a most disagreeable impression on the Emperor, for he had done with life,
and looked on this delay rather as a cruelty,

knowing the Mexicans too well

to believe in

^.l^^t,^/^<.yl^tr-

/U,

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-^.

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/L-^

"c^^JTT^

/^

c/z^X^^e^^^^^/WiS^

'//iL.

/i-r

^L,

V^

'^JjUy^/l^
^/^Z-V^^^

/L-c^^^

295

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROE.

The troops

been placed near

the Alameda, to be marched from there to the
Cerro de la Campana, where the execution was
grace.

v^lio had.

to take place, were discontented also, fearing

that they might be perhaps deprived of their

They had arrived with merry music,

victim.

but returned

home

silent

"When the colonel

left

self to unrestrained joy.

and

sullen.

me, I abandoned myI ordered a bottle of

wine to drink good luck to the Emperor, and

smoking my cigar and humming a tune I paced

my

chapel,

and even the horrid

martyrs on the wall

seemed to

faces
smile.

of the

The

me with his mouth wide open,

To give liim a
thinking me mad.

sentinel stared at

probably

better idea of

my

wits, I presented

four reals, but as he could not see

reason for
I

am

my present

than for

my good humour,

afraid I only confirmed his

the state of

On

my

him with
any more

bad opinion of

brain.

the 17th of June I awoke in very good

had

excellently on my hard
couch, and across my dreams I heard continually
"
" The
the joyful news,
Emperor is saved !
This sorrow removed from my heart, I began
spirits.

to think of

slept

my own

and wanted to be

position.
free.

was a prisoner,

"When I was

sitting,

yesterday, near my window, I heard the rolling

of a carriage quite close to me, and T therefore

296

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOE.

concluded that the

yard was separated

one
wall.
This wall
by
high fi'om the yard but

little

from the

street only

was about

fifteen feet

as the yard was one story high, the wall rose

from the street about thirty-five feet. To be-

come

free,

I had to climb that wall.

Through

the ungrated window I might easily get into

the yard ; but how to get on the top of the
wall, and down into the street, I did not yet

know.
Whilst reflecting about it, I noticed some
very heavy hooks in the gilt carved wood- work
near the
draperies.

which served, probably, to hold

These would serve my purpose. If

altar,

I had two or three of them, I might insert them

between the stones into the wall, and climb it

But how to get these hooks ?

sentinel must help me to them.
"
"
Amigo," 1 said, I will give you two reals
if
you will take out these hooks, which I require
for hanging up my clothes."
The Eepublican was all over smiles. He
placed his musket in a corner, and commenced
by this means.
Of course, the

his

work with a good

will.

He could, however,

only get out three hooks ;

the fourth stuck as deep as an old prejudice,

and I had to be
h/3oks,
reals,

satisfied.

and the Indian

his

I took

my three
gun and my two

with which he stealthily coquetted

now

297

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOE.

and

promenading, in hungry imagination,

amongst mountains formed by tortillos, and longtlien,

ing for the

relief.

picion, I fixed

had trouble

to

In order not to create sus-

my hooks
fill

slightly in the wall,

and

them all with my scanty ward-

robe.

But how to find a rope, which I required to

down from the wall into the street? I

let

thought of my wife. She might have procured

me one, but she was in San Luis and Escobedo
;

had

threatened to put her in prison if she reI could not forbear laughing

turned.

when

thought that Escobedo imagined he could prevent her by that means. As I well knew, his
threats were the best

soon.

means

to bring her

I might wait until her arrival.

back

She had

promised me a mattress, and in it might be a

rope with knots. Even the sentinels might
help

me

would do

I was sure they

no Indian, with or without a

to climb the wall.

it,

for

gun, could resist the persuasive smile of one or

In the street were, of
two golden ounzes.
course, horses ready, and
the Emperor
I went up
!

away we went to join

and down my chapel,

caressing with my eye the hooks, which appeared to me a very important acquisition.
The chapel, the whole world, appeared to me,
to-day, couleur de rose.

Colonel Villanueva had promised to come at

298

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOR.

one' clock

and

but I waited in vain for him

all

day,

What

doubts returned.

has happened ?
Should the bloody Indian, Juarez, or his Mephistopheles, Lerdo, the minister with the false,

mj

sarcastic

mouth, dare

cruelty of murdering

still

to

commit the

my Emperor,

made him pass through all

death ? Maybe he offended

after

refined

having

the bitterness of
their

the nobleness of his demeanour.

low souls by
It would be

an infamous cruelty; but what might not be

expected from Mexicans
!

On

the morning of the 18th of June, Lieut.Oolonel Pitner came for a moment into the
little

yard,

and whispered that things went

Emperor; and soon after-

very badly for the

wards Colonel Yillanueva came.

excited,

and told

me

He was

greatly
that he had been cruelly

disappointed ; Maximilian was lost without any

hope ; the execution would take place at eight
" I am
he
o'clock next

ashamed,"
are amongst
bad
elements
many
us.
I hoped still that the Moderate party
would conquer, and the life of the Emperor be
morning.

said,

" that so

saved.

I feel grieved that

hated and despised by

all

my poor country,
the world, must be
"

manner
The Emperor had, on the

stained again in this

taken leave of his

following letter

officers in

17th, already

Quer^taro in the

299

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOE.

QuERETARO, Peison de LOS Cajucinos, Juue

To

and

the Generals

17, 1867.

Field-Officers, prisoners

in this city.

solemn moment I address to you

the present lines, in order both to acknowledge
the loyalty with which you have served me,

At

this

and to give you a token

which I feel for you.

Your

As

I was

therefore

my

the true regard

affectionate

Maximilian.

separated from the rest of the'

only later, and

name, as that of some other gene-

saw

prisoners,

ol

this

letter

wanting under the reply.

Baron Magnus returned on the 18th from

rals, is

San Luis Potosi, and

visited the

Emperor about

He

repeated his visit in the evening,

and stayed a long time with the Emperor, who

noon.

remembered me

also

in his conversation,

and

would never have suffered me to

leave him, had he been spared.
The Emperor ordered Dr. Basch to make a
said that he

list

of persons to

some

little

whom

keepsake.

he desired to leave

To me he bequeathed

beloved perspective-glass, which he held

almost constantly in his hand during the entire

his

siege of Queretaro,

and to the Princess the fan

which he had used in prison during his last

The Emperor went to bed at half-past
days.

300

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOE.

and was already asleep when he was disturbed by a visit from Escobedo, at eleven
eight,

o'clock p.m.

Captain Enking, who accompanied the general at this improper visit, will have noticed
that the Emperor looked with an
expression of
intense expectation on the entrance of the
general, as if expecting to hear

Had

pardon from him.

correctly, the look of the

news of

his

the captain observed

Emperor would have

been very explicable and natural. He could

not, indeed, expect from Escobedo a visit of
friendly sympathy, or beheve that he only came
to enjoy the [sight of his foe
conquered solely

by

vile treason.

in-chief,

A visit

from the commander-

under these circumstances, was solely

disturbing the last sleep of his

prisoner, he came to announce life to him.
From the Emperor, Escobedo went to see

justifiable

if,

who saved him once when he was condemned to be shot

Mejia recommended his

Mejia,

children to him, and Escobedo promised to take

care of them.
He sent later an aide-de-camp
general's widow, and offered her his
assistance for her children, but the noble woman

to

the

spurned the assistance of the murderer of her

husband with scorn, and said that she was

young and strong, and could work

children.

for

her

301

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOE.

I do not
also

know for

saw Miramon.

himself very

much

certain,

whether Escobedb

This general reproached

in his last days.

He

said to

Mejia he regretted that the bullet which pierced

his cheek had not passed through his head, for

was

it

chiefly

owing to him that the Emperor

found himself in his present position. Mejia

told this to the Emperor and the latter told it
to me.

In the afternoon of the 18th the Emperor

telegraphed to Juarez.

"I would

M. Miguel Miramon, and Thomas

desire that

Mejia,

who

and bitterness of death,

might be spared, and that

suffered all the tortures

the day before

last,

I, as I have already said,

may be the only victim."

when taken

prisoner,

This request was refused, and the same fate

attended the request of the same date of Baron
Magnus, addressed to the minister Lerdo de

Tejada, which thus concluded

"I
implore you, in the name of humanity
and of Heaven, not to make any further attempt
:

against his life, and repeat how certain I am

that my sovereign his Majesty the King of
Prussia, and

all

the monarchs of Europe,

who

are related to the imprisoned prince, his brother

the Emperor of Austria, his cousin the Queen of

Great Britain, his brother-in-law the King of

Belgium, and his cousin the Queen of Spain, as

302

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROE.

Kings of Italy and Sweden, will readily

to
agree
give all possible guarantee, that none
also tlie

of

tlie

prisoners shall ever return to Mexican

territory."

his

The Emperor addressed letters of thanks to

four advisers, and wrote the following letter

to Juarez, which

was

dated the 19th of June, as

is

to be dehvered

it

on that day.
QuEUETAKO, Jwne

M. Benito Juaeez,

19, 1867.

On the point of

suffer-

ing death, because I desired to try whether new

institutions would enable me to put an end to
the bloody war which for so many years has
been causing ruin to this unhappy country, I
will yield
sacrifice

up

my

life

with satisfaction,

if this

can contribute to the welfare of

my

adopted country.
"
Being fully convinced that nothing durable
can be produced on a soil soaked in blood and

moved by

violent agitations, I implore

you in
that
sinand
with
the most solemn manner,
cerity which is peculiar to moments like those
which I find myself, that my blood may be
the last that may be spilled, and that the same
in

perseverance, which I appreciated when in

the midst of prosperity, and with which you
defended the cause that conquers now, might

be applied to the most noble end

to recon-

303

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROR.

cile all

the hearts, and to rebuild on a durable,

firm foundation, the peace and the order of this

unhappy country.
Maximilian.

(Signed)

all

In the morning of the 19th, at four o'clock,

were up in our convent, for the disposable

part of the battalion Supremos Poderes marched

out at half-past four.
Soon after six o'clock,

came

Lieut.-Colonel Pitner

"

joining the chapel, and called out,

already led him away."

We now

room

into the

ad-

They have

listened with breathless

anxiety;

but nothing betrayed what had happened, when

on a sudden all the bells of the city began
ringing after seven o'clock. Pitner called out,
" He is dead now !" and not
caring for the sentinel at my door, he rushed into the chapel, and
in a

mute embrace our

tears

fell

in

memory

of

much beloved, noble dead. Towards eight

o'clock the troops returned from the execution.

the

The

last

moments

frequently described
differ

but

from each other.

lot to assist

shall

of the

write

officers,

my Emperor
down what

Emperor have been

all

these descriptions

Though

it

was not

in his last

eight

amongst whom was

my

moments, I

or ten Liberal

Colonel Villanueva,

concurred in stating.

The Emperor rose

as

early

as

half-past

304

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROR.

and made a very careful toilet. He wore

a short dark (blue or black) coat, black pantaAt
loons and waistcoat, and a small felt hat.
three,

four o'clock Pater Soria came, from

Emperor had already received the

At five o'clock a mass was

ments.

whom

the

last sacra-

celebrated,

which purpose an altar had been placed in

the frequently mentioned niche.
for

The Emperor gave to Dr. Basch

several

com-

missions and greetings to his friends, amongst

whom he did not forget to mention me. He

then breakfasted at a quarter to six.

The
in
the
were
much
and
this
excited,
people
city
excitement was even noticeable amongst some
Escobedo was afraid of
portion of the troops.
demonstrations, and even of a riot, and in
order to baffle such attempts, the execution was

ordered to take place an hour sooner.

"With the stroke of six o'clock the Liberal
officer

came

to

take

the

Before

Emperor.

he had yet spoken the Emperor said, "I am

ready ;" and came from liis cell, where he was
surrounded by his few servants, who wept and
He said, " Be calm you see

kissed his hands.

I

am

so.

It is the will of

God

that I should die,

and we cannot act against that."

The Emperor then went towards the
his

gentlemen?

cells

of

said, "Are you ready,

am ready." Miramon and Mejia

two generals, and

305

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROE.

came forward, and he embraced

his

companions

Mejia, the brave, daring man, who

hundreds of times had looked smilingly into the
face of grim death, was weakened by sickness,
in death.

and very low-spirited.

All three went down the

staircase, the

Em-

peror in advance with a firm step. On arriving

at the street before the convent he looked
around, and drawing a deep breath, he said,
"
Ah, what a splendid day I always wished to
die on such a day."
!

He

then stepped with Pater Soria into the

next carriage waiting for him, the fiacre No. 10 ;

Republican Government thought it

probably below its dignity to provide a proper
carriage for a fallen Emperor. Miramon entered
for

the

the fiacre No. 16, and Mejia No. 13, and the

mournful procession commenced moving.

head marched the Supremos Poderes.

its

At
The

carriages were surrounded by the Cazadores de

Galeano, and the rear was brought up by the
battalion

Nueva Leon, which was ordered

for

the execution.
the hour had been anticipated, the
streets were crowded.
Everybody greeted the

Though

Emperor respectfully, and the women cried

aloud.
The Emperor responded to the greetings with his heart- winning smile, and perhaps
compared his present march with his entrance
VOL.

I.

20

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROR.

306

and reception into Queretaro four months ago.

What a contrast
However, the people kept
quiet, and could not muster courage for any
!

only jfrom the azoteas the soldiers were favoured with odious names and

demonstration

missiles.

On arriving at the Cerro de la Campaiia the

door of the Emperor's ^acre could not be opened.
Without waiting for further attempts to do so,
Emperor jumped to the ground. At his side
stood his Hungarian servant Tudos. On look-

the

" Is
ing around he asked the servant,
nobody
In his fortunate days everybody
else here ?"
strove to be near him, but now on the way to
his untimely

only a single person was

grave

However, Baron Magnus and

Consul Bahnsen were present, though he could
not see them.
at

his

side

Pater Soria dismounted as well as he could.

The comforter
the

required, however, comfort from

condemned.

He

felt

sick

and

fainting,

and with a compassionate look the Emperor

drew from his pocket a smelling-bottle which
wife had given him, and which is said to be
now in the possession of the widowed Empress

my

of Brazil, and held

The Emperor,
it

it

under his nose.*

followed by

Miramon and

* I was told this

by the lady of Minister Aguirre, who heard
from his friend Pater Soria.

307

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEKOE.

Mejia, wlio

had

to be supported,

now moved

which was open

towards the square of soldiers,

towards the Cerro. The troops for the execution

were commanded by General Don Jesus Diaz de

Leon. Where the square was open, a kind of
wall of adobes had been erected.

In the middle,

where the Emperor Avas to stand, who was

taller than his two companions, the wall was

somewhat

On

the point of taking their

the
Emperor said to Mirarespective positions,
"
brave soldier must be honoured
his
higher.

mon, A
monarch even in

me

to

give

Miramon had

An

by

his last hour, therefore permit

you the place of honour," and

to place himself in the middle.

and seven men now stepped

ofl&cer

forward, until within a few yards before each of

the three condemned. The Emperor went up to

those before him, gave each soldier his hand

and a Maximilian d'or (twenty pesos), and said,
*'

Muchachos

(boys),

aim

well,

aim right here,"

Then he
pointing with his hand to his heart.
returned to his stand, took off his hat, and
wiped his forehead with his handkerchief. This
and

his hat he gave to Tudos, with the order

them to his mother, the Archduchess

Then he spoke with a clear and firm
Sophia.
voice the following words
" Mexicans
persons of my rank and origin

to take

are destined by

God

either to be benefactors of

308

EXECI3TI0N OF THE EMPEEOE.

the people or martyrs. Called by a great part of

youj I came for tlie good of the country. Ambition
did not bring me here ; I came animated with
the best wishes for the future of my adopted
country, and for that of my soldiers, whom I
thank, before my death, for the sacrifices they

made

for

me.

which

last

Mexicans

shall

be

may my

blood be the

spilt for the welfare of the

country and if it should be necessary that

sons should still shed theirs, may it flow for
;

its
its

never by treason. Viva independence

good, bujb
viva Mexico !"

far

Looking around, the Emperor noticed, not

from him, a group of men and women who

sobbed aloud.

and
on

He

looked at them with a mild

friendly smile, then he laid both his

his breast,

and looked forward.

hands

Five shots

and the Emperor fell on his right

" Hombre."
side, whispering slowly the word
All the bullets had pierced his body, and each
were

fired,

them was deadly; but the Emperor still

moved slightly. The officer laid him on his
of

back, and pointed with the point of his sword

soldier then stepped
on the Emperor's heart.

forward, and sent another bullet into the spot

indicated.

nor Miramon, nor

Mejia had their eyes bandaged. Miramon, not
addressing the soldiers, but the citizens assemNeither the Emperor,

309

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOE.

bled,

" Mexicans

said,

my

judges have con-

demned me to death as a traitor to my country.

I never was a traitor, and request you not to
suffer this stain to

and

still

less' to

be affixed to

my

my memory,
Viva Mexico!

children.

The shots hit him well;

viva the Emperor !"
he was dead on the spot.
Mejia only said,

He
Emperor!"
required two more
the three

" Viva Mexico

viva the

firing,

and

bullets to despatch him.

All

lived

after

the

condemned were shot

at the

same

moment.
After the death of the three had been con-

firmed by two surgeons, the bodies were wrapped

in coarse sheets, and placed in common deal
coffins, worth twenty reals a-piece, such as are

used by the

lovv^est class.

That of the Emperor

was much too short, and his feet protruded.

The bodies of the two generals were delivered
to their families, but that of the

Emperor was
reserved by the Republican Government for a
low speculation, and was confided to the care of

Don Miguel Palacios,

"
squinting
hyena." He carried
Colonel

the ferocious,
it

between two

detachments of infantry across the city, where

its aspect caused everywhere great lamentation.

An

revolver in hand, stepped up to a

and asked, in a harsh tone, " "Why do

officer,

woman,

you cry?"

She answered, "I

am weeping

for

310

my

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROE.

Emperor."

Upon

wliicli lie cauglit

hold of

her arm in order to arrest her, when she stabbed

him with a knife, and escaped. The mourning
in

the city

especially
it

was

women,

general, and many persons,

were arrested for expressing

in a too lively, passionate

The behaviour

manner.

of the inliabitants of Quere-

taro cannot, indeed, be sufficiently praised and

admired. For months they had suffered all the

horrors of a siege.

The shot of the enemy had

destroyed their houses, and killed

and

many

of their

They had suffered fear,

sorrow, and hunger, and had to pay considerable
But all this was not able to
contributions.

friends

relations.

diminish their devotion and love for the Emperor,

whom, indeed, they loved with enthusiasm.

Though

this is

it

very exphcable,
less creditable to them.

is

not the

The Mexicans are not used to a kind treatment from their robber-like generals, and here
they saw a descendant of the Emperor of the
Conquerors of Mexico walking daily amongst
them, and showing sympathy and compassion
with their sufferings, and an amiability which

was

in such striking contrast with the brutal

behaviour of their
shared

all

own

generals

a prince

who

the dangers and deprivations of his

who had for every suffering

a comforting, kind word, and who was an edifying

subjects and soldiers,

311

EXECUTION OP THE EMPEROE.

for every one.

Now he was dead He
died witli that greatness and serene calmness of
soul which we admire so much in single in-

example

stances in history, and the narrative of which

edifies and touches the heart of all succeeding

The manner in which the noble

generations.
Emperor died may justly be placed by the
side

The good people of Que-

of Socrates.

retaro

venerated

him

like

saint-martyr.

Many dipped their handkerchiefs in his blood ;

others procured other relics, to the great vexation
Even on the
of his Eepublican murderers.
the
Palacios
greatness of the man
"hyena"
made an impression, and he could not forbear
"

He was a great soul !"

The body was placed on a table

saying,

in the chapel

Capuchinos, and the

colonel called in Dr. Basch, the servants, and a
of the

Convent de

los

number of convalescent imprisoned officers, for

the most part French, who were in the convent.
Pointing to the body, he said to the latter,
"
Behold, that is the work of France !" These

French

used as a promenade a passage,

through the windows of which they could look
down into the chapel, and observe everything
officers

that was going on near the body of the Emperor,

and I owe to them the following details
:

Soon afterwards, the chief physician of the

Liberal army. Dr. Kiva de Nera, accompanied

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROK.

312

by Dr.

Licea,

t"he

betrayer of Miramon, and

several otlier persons

made

their

appearance,
Dr. Basch was also permitted to be present,
The body was then undressed, and prepared for
embalming. The scenes which occurred here

harmony with the lowness of mind of

those present, and some details are so disgusting
are in

and revolting that I cannot speak of them.

That the doctors went to their work noisily,
laughing, and smoking, may be pardonable, as
they are used to such kind of work, and had not

we feel but
who said, when

that veneration for the dead which

no one can excuse Dr. Licea,

plunging his knife into the body of the dead

" What a
delight it is for me to be
prince,
able

wash my hands

to

the blood of an

in

"

Emperor

Colonel Palacios tapped with his hand on

"
the head of the body, and said,
Oh, you would
place crowns
satisfied

Now you

now you have your crown

pointing to
of the

upon your head

two

vessels in

Emperor were

will

;"

be

and,

which the intestines

placed, he said,

" Those

ought to be given to the dogs."

The embalming lasted a whole week, and
the heart of the Emperor was lying a whole day
on one of the benches of the chapel. The em-

balmed body was then placed in a better

and remained under guard in the chapel.

coffin,

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOE.

313

Colonel Palacios had appropriated tlie fieldbed of the Emperor. '\hen he had visitors he
" I am Emused to
and
down on
lay

peror

now

When

it,

How

say,

do I look as an Emperor

"

expressed himself
less brutally than the rest. Colonel Doria, sec" Pooh what does
retary to Escobedo, said
a Liberal

officer

it

matter, one dog

more or

less ?

"

General Mirafuentes, who was later my

fiscal, regretted, he said, the death of the two

Mexicans

for the foreigner

he did not care a

straw.

During the last days before the execution of

the Emperor, the question whether he ought to
be shot was of course frequently discussed
amongst the Liberal officers. One of them said
that they had no right to shoot the Emperor, as
the city had not been taken by storm, but

" What
bought together with the Emperor.
does it matter," said one of the others, laugh" chickens are
ing,
bought also and killed."
The Queretaro paper ("La Sombra de Arteaga ") of the 20th of June was printed on red
paper, and contained only a short statement of
the facts, without any comment.
If Escobedo had not wished the death of the

Emperor, he might easily have prevented it, as

Juarez would not have dared to act against the
general to

whom

he owed so much.

But Esco-

314

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOR.

bedo

not only bloodthirsty and a coward, but

had also an interest in the removal of a rival,
is

who appeared

him more dangerous than

It was genewould not have
he had fallen into the hands of
to

Juarez, Ortega, or Santa Anna.

rally believed that the Emperor

been shot, if
Porfirio Diaz instead of those of Escobedo.

The Emperor was about

six feet high,

and

His movements, his gait,

and especially his greeting, were graceful and
He had fair hair, not very thick, which
light.
of a slender figure.

he wore carefully parted in the middle. His

beard was also fair and very long, and he nursed
it with great care.
He wore it parted in the
middle, and his hand was very frequently occu-

pied with

its

arrangement.

The Emperor's

complexion was pure and clear, and his eyes

blue.
His mouth had the unmistakeable stamp
of the Austrian imperial house, the historical
under lip, but not so much pronounced as to be
disfiguring.

The Emperor was

generally in citizen dress

but in Queretaro, where he stood at the head of

his troops, he wore the uniform of a general of
division.

When

he promenaded, he had his hands behind his back, like a captain of a ship pacing
the deck.
carrying in

Another naval habit was, of always

his hand his perspective glass.

315

EXECOTION OF THE EMPEEOR.

The expression

was almost always

one could not look on

of his face

very kind and friendly

him without loving him.
:

never showed

itself in

His

friendhness

a familiar manner

even

with his most intimate friends he always preserved his dignity. N^otwithstanding this, he

abandoned himself without restraint to his good

humour, when in congenial company, and could
be very witty and even sarcastic.
He was a very good listener, and fond of
hearing the former adventures of the persons
around him, whose faults he judged mildly, as

he never supposed bad motives. Though he

had seen and observed much during his travels,

and was a man of very good sense, his heart was

too noble and too pure for a profitable knowledge of the world. He had so little conception
of wickedness and falsehood in others, that he

never would believe in their existence in any

man. He was very devoted and true to his

and thought more of them than of himHe forgave easily, and that not only with

friends,
self.

his lips, but with his heart.

met with

in

life,

the

Of

all

men

I ever

Emperor Maximilian was

Even his

the noblest, best, and most amiable.

very faults were almost virtues

for instance,

which frequently bordered upon

could not bear to mortify a man,
or harm him in any way, especially if he had

his kindness,

weakness.

He

316

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOK.

done anything against him. He, for instance,

did not think much of Baron Lago, the Austrian
charge d'affaires, and blamed the lukewarm and
faint-heartedness

selfish
still,

of

that

gentleman ;
he wrote to him before his death a few kind

lines, that

he might show tJiem on his return to

Vienna.

He was

a great lover and connoisseur of the

fine arts, and his feeling for fine forms went so
far that it

was painful

for

him

to look on any-

I supthing inharmonious or unsymmetrical.

pose that was the reason why he was easily

captivated by good-looking people, with pleasing,

polished manners, as he always supposed that

a fine

human form must be animated by a

fine

This feeling for harmony and order with

soul.

the Emperor extended even to trifling things,

which made him appear sometimes almost pedantic.

He

liked to finish every business at once,

and answered
but

it

all

questions with great patience,

was disagreeable

to

him

if

minded of the thing afterwards.

he was re-

Therefore he

insisted that all his orders, even the most

noted down at the very motrifling, should be

ment he gave them.

Those who would judge of the rich soul of
the Emperor, should read his travels, which have
been published in England and in

different Ian-

EXECUTION OP THE EMPEEOR.

317

guages.
They were, as I understand, published
at the desire of his august mother, the Arch-

duchess Sophia, who could not erect to her

Though
glorious son any better monument.
written by the archduke when he was still very
young, the whole man is revealed in its pages,

and everyone who reads them

in thinking,

what a

will

concur with

pity this gifted prince

me

was

torn from the world where he might have done

such extensive good
!

To labour

advancement of humanity
and the progress of the world, was the highest
ambition of the Emperor Maximilian. His ideas
for the

however, so entirely from the old traditions of the Austrian court, that it was imdiffered,

possible for

him

to find suitable

employment in

own

country, which he ardently loved. The

experienced tempter in Paris offered him a wide
his

field for his aspirations,

and the ambition of the

descendant of Charles Y. was by no means inan imperial crown.

different to the splendour of

The Emperor of the French had an easy game

to play with an open chivalrous character like
that of the young archduke.
The favourite in-

cHnations and desires of the young lofty-minded

prince were skillfully worked upon, and Napoleon III. had not much trouble in captivating

him by

his proposition, which ought to have

been examined with the more care, as it was

318

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEROR.

made by a member

of the Napoleonic family

to one of the family of Austria.
But in the

noble unprejudiced soul of the archduke, traditional antipathies gave

way to his objective
admiration for the great statesman, which he

expressed on several occasions, and whom

he greatly overrated. Any scruples which he
might have entertained were overbalanced by
the prospect of a glorious and great sphere of
usefulness.

He who would

benefit

humanity

must frequently dismiss antagonistic personal

feehngs and inclinations.
The philanthropic deceits of Napoleon were
the snares in which the archduke, who
longed
for noble action, was the more
easily caught,
as his talents were rather a source of resrret

than of admiration in "Vienna.

His

position

there, indeed, was by no means agreeable, and

created in him an ardent desire to escape from
it as soon as was
possible.
When misfortune came upon him, the mind
of the Emperor of Mexico showed itself in its
whole strength and moral dignity; and his
last days and death are an edifying example for
all

ages.

The episode of the Mexican empire under

Maximilian was too short, and did not leave any
lasting effects in that

revolutions are

its

unhappy country (where

normal condition), so as to

319

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOR.

take a prominent place in history by itself.

But this episode will exert an influence on the

imhistory of Napoleon III. which gives it

in
the
portance, as it forms the turning-point
career of the French emperor, on whom the

blood of the noble victim

to be

sacrificed

Though the

will

whom

certainly

he permitted
be revenged.

necessities of policy compelled the

brother of Maximilian to join his hand with

that of Napoleon ; still there is above us a

power that

will

not forget that by this hand

the blood of a noble and good

at the far Cerro de la Campaha

man was

spilt

I frequently heard the Emperor called a

fanatical person and an adventurer ; and I

cannot forbear saying a few words in reference

to this view of him.

There

is in all

history scarcely a single

man

ever accomplished great things who was

not called a fanatical person or adventurer

who

by his narrow-minded contemporaries. To a

mind which crawls always in the narrow atmosphere of his miserable self; and to a man for
the care of self seems to be the quintessence of philosophical wisdom, to such petty

whom

common-place people, every one who

sacrifices

himself for the general good of humanity, regardless of personal interest, must appear as a

weak. minded person, as an aspirant for a lunatic

EXECUTION OF THE EMPEEOE.

320

For

asylum.

tlie

"

sopliers

which the material

from

Philistine," even all philo-

and men of speculative

weak

their

good

result

eyes,

are

sciences,
is

of

concealed

candidates

for

Bedlam.
"

With the
listines

"

epithet

are

still

" Phiadventurer," these

more

liberal.

" Bleibe im

Lande und naehre dich redlich " stay at home

and win your life honestly is with them a
favourite phrase.
Whoever is urged beyond
the narrow pale of his home, in search for a

proper

field

for his active

mind,

is

an adven-

and only pardoned, though still always

somewhat suspected, if he brings home tangible

turer,

proofs of his good success.

" Whenever the time shall
come,

when

poets
bring the events of our days before the
eyes of coming generations, there will not be
shall

missing amongst their most splendid figures

that of the German Prince, who was carried by
his high

and noble desire beyond the ocean,

his tragical end in a fruitless

and who found

struggle to confer the benefits of lawful order

and true culture on a neglected people."*
* "The

Dresden.

Imperial Tragedy in Mexico."

Publisher M. Heinsius, 1867.

END OF
T, BS><II.]!T

Adolph

Stern,

AMD

VOL.

CO., PBINTBIIB, 8H0F. LAirB,

I.

FLEET 8TBKBT, LONDON.

University of Toronto

Library